Overwatch High
by ShizukaRakugaki44
Summary: Lena Oxton (AKA Tracer) is a new student at Overwatch High, a school for young people with unique talents who want to make the world a better place. But who said high school life was easy if you're training to save lives as well as keep up good grades in order to graduate?
1. Stage 1: Entrance Exam Jitters (Part 1)!

**Since I've gotten into** ** _Overwatch_** **lately through the animated shorts and fan-comic dubs, I thought I'd try writing a fanfic where the younger heroes attend a special high-school in order to join Overwatch while the older ones act as teachers/parental figures. The character's descriptions will stay the same as their video-game counterparts despite being younger than they actually are. Time-wise, the story takes place ten years after the Omnic Crisis but before Overwatch disbanded though some events will be slightly altered to fit my narrative. So with that said, I hope you enjoy this fanfic!**

Stage 1: Entrance Exam Jitters (Part 1)!

"Lena!"

From underneath the bedspread depicting the British flag emerged a young girl with spiky brunette hair, matching brown eyes, wearing a white undershirt and blue-and-yellow tempo shorts. Strapped to her chest was a glowing blue disk that had holographic rings circling constantly.

"What is it, Winston?" The girl said groggily in a British accent.

"You almost overslept," said the giant male gorilla that stood in the doorway of the bedroom. He wore a pair of square framed glasses, a white sweater, and dark blue slacks. "The Entrance Exam is today, remember?"

"Oh, shoot!" cried Lena. "I almost forgot!"

The glowing disk around Lena's chest glowed for a second and she was gone in the blink of an eye. Winston heard noises in the bathroom across the hall, then a blue blur went back into the bedroom, and down the hall toward the stairs. At the bottom appeared Lena once more only she was wearing a brown hoodie, a white T-shirt with the glowing disk still on, yellow track pants, and white sneakers.

Lena looked around the small kitchen that was next to the stairs and seemed baffled. "Where's Jack?"

"He left early," Winston explained as he descended the stairs. "He'll be judging the Entrance Exam along with the other teachers."

"Really?" Lena said, and took down a box of cereal from the top of the fridge. "Now I'm more nervous."

"You'll do fine, Lena," Winston said encouragingly. "I know you can ace this exam. You've been training a whole month for it."

"Thanks, Winston," replied Lena while she was busy pouring milk into a bowl with the cereal in it. "You always know how to cheer me up."

"Well, that's what big brothers are for," Winston said scratching the back of his head. "Even if we aren't related."

"But humans evolved from apes, so we kind of are," Lena responded eating the cereal really quickly. "Though not in the same sense as actually being brother and sister."

"Exactly."

Then Lena finished her cereal and headed for the front door. "Be back in a flash!"

"Good luck," Winston said as Lena walked out.

Outside, Lena took off down the street as the disk on her chest glowed causing her to appear several meters ahead of where she was before. She did this several times with small breaks in between till she reached a large silicon building that didn't seem different from all the other buildings except that it had an insignia resembling a white circle with the top section of it colored yellow and two short lines inside that nearly touched forming a triangular shape below. Nervously, Lena walked inside and found herself in a foyer crowded by several young boys and girls wearing different clothes and carrying different items. Most were carrying weapons of some kind with one person who was an exception.

 _Oh, my_ , Lena noted, staring at a humanoid robot who was levitating off the floor in a meditative stance with several gold-colored orbs circling around his neck. _He must be one of the Nepalese Omnic monks I've heard so much about. Their leader, Tekhartha Mondatta, has been strongly advocating for peaceful relations between the Omnics and humans now that the Omnic Crisis has passed. Unfortunately, there's a strong majority that still see Omnics as a threat._

"Oi! You!"

Turning around, Lena saw a young man gesturing to her. He had spiky ash-blond hair that was always smoking, a charcoal-covered face, sickly pale skin, wearing nothing but a pair of torn camouflage shorts. While his right arm was a rusted mechanical one, his right leg was a metal peg. His mustard-yellow eyes made contact with Lena's.

"Are you talking to me?" Lena asked.

"Course I am!" said the boy with the smoking hair. "Come over here."

Cautiously, Lena walked over to him.

" _Don't you think it's disgraceful that they're allowing an Omnic to participate in this entrance exam?_ " the boy whispered loudly. " _I mean, what if he's secretly plotting to kill us?_ "

" _That's a pretty narrow-minded assumption to make,_ " Lena said. " _The God Programs that caused the Omnics to revolt in the first place have been erased, thanks to Overwatch's efforts during the Crisis, so I don't think they are a threat anymore._ "

"Are you an Omnic lover or something?" the boy said mockingly.

Lena shook her head. "No, I didn't say that, but—

"Then why are you arguing with me?" the boy snapped.

"I'm not arguing! I would just like to point out that—

"Hey, keep it down!" said a short girl with a petite figure who was wearing a purple T-Shirt with a white rabbit logo on it, a pair of headphones with pink antennae attached to each ear, a short blue skirt, and black shoes. She held a small handheld video-game console in her hands. "I'm trying to play a game here!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry," said the boy with the smoking hair mockingly. "This is an entrance exam, kid, not a babysitting center!"

The short girl's face turned red. "I'm not a kid! I turned fourteen this year!"

"What's going on over here?"

A tall woman approached the teens. She wore a black-and-gray hooded coat over her matching uniform which had hints of blue with an eyepatch over her right eye and a silver-haired bang sticking out from under the gray headband she wore beneath the hood. Her skin was the color of dark molasses and there was a tattoo beneath her good eye that looked like an Ankh.

The boy with the smoking hair hesitated and then he pointed at Lena. "She started it! I was just trying to have a normal conversation."

"Is this true?" asked the tall woman as she leered at Lena with one eye.

"No," Lena said defensively. "This guy asked me to come over, and then he made a nasty accusation about the Omnic over there. So I responded, but he accused me of arguing which then got this girl's attention and then he was arguing with her."

"Sounds about right," the short girl said folding her arms.

"Tattletale," the boy with the smoking hair said under his breath.

"Excuse me, young man?" the tall woman said turning her eye to the boy.

"Uh, nothing," the boy responded nervously.

The tall woman eyed each of them and then said, "I'll let you go this time, but if I hear another disturbance you'll be forced to leave this facility. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," said the three teens.

"Good," the tall woman said and walked away. "The Entrance Exam will be starting shortly."

While the boy with the smoking hair stormed off, the short girl resumed her game and Lena was left standing feeling no less nervous than before.

 _Great_ , Lena thought to herself. _I've already gotten in trouble, and I haven't even started attending school yet._

" _Is something troubling you?_ "

Hearing a robotic voice, Lena turned to see the Omnic she saw earlier who was now floating near her. Everyone had cleared a path for him, and were standing at a distance.

"I-I'm fine, thanks," Lena said, trying to sound polite.

" _I noticed the disruption from afar, and it seemed that you were defending me from something that boy said,_ " the Omnic said in a calm manner.

Lena's eyebrows raised. "You heard all that?"

" _Not all, but enough to understand what the argument was about,_ " replied the Omnic.

"He thought you didn't belong here, saying you might try to kill us," Lena said bitterly. "But I told him that was ridiculous because you've all had the God Programs erased from your systems, right?"

" _That is correct,_ " the Omnic said nodding. " _Yet I cannot blame him for accusing me of such things when my kind have caused so much suffering for you humans during the Omnic Crisis._ "

"But that doesn't excuse what he said."

An alarm suddenly went off as a gruff male voice blared over the speakers. " _Participants of the Overwatch High School Entrance Exam, please make your way into the testing rooms for the written part of the test! You will be sorted alphabetically and sent to the appropriate room!_ "

So the tall woman came out again and ordered everyone to gather around her. Once they did, she told them to form lines based on their last names.

"A through F, you're in room 103," the tall woman said. "G through L, room 104; M through S, room 105; T through Z, room 106."

Because her last name was Oxton, Lena wound up in the third line along with the short girl and a tall guy in a full body suit that was silver in color with green circles on the chest who stood near the back.

"What is that guy wearing?" Lena wondered, occasionally glancing back.

An audible throat-clearing from the tall woman made Lena stand straight and look forward as she directed the four lines to the right testing room.

To be continued…


	2. Stage 2: Entrance Exam Jitters (Part 2)!

Stage 2: Entrance Exam Jitters (Part 2)!

Instead of the tall woman, a short old man with a long blond beard, a bald head, a mechanical arm that resembled a pincer, and two exhaust pipes strapped to the back of his red armor occupied the testing-room Lena was assigned to.

"All right, I don't have all day so the sooner we get started the better!" the old man said eyeing everyone with a monocle made of red-colored lens. "I'm going to pass the written part of the exam to everyone in this room. You have one hour to complete it. Fail to do that, and you'll be sent home. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone in the room responded.

Satisfied, the old man passed a sheet of papers around. Once everyone got one, the clock struck 11:00 AM and the participants took out their pencils. Lena briefly glanced down at the blue disk on her chest, but was distracted by a sudden yelp. Behind her, a kid had his wrist clamped in the old man's pincer-shaped one.

"There will be no cheating on my watch!" the old man growled as he took away a stack of notecards the kid was holding with his other hand which was real. "You're dismissed from the test!"

As the kid was dragged away, Lena thought twice and proceeded to take the test normally.

###

Once the written part of the exam was over, the remaining participants were taken down to an underground maze made of white-coated metal with a blue-tinted energy shield encapsulating the whole thing. Before the entrance stood a towering figure clad in full-body armor carrying a giant hammer in both hands.

" _Welcome to the physical part of the exam, kiddies!_ " said the man in a proud manly voice muffled by his crown-shaped helmet. " _The main objective here is to get through the maze which is filled with a variety of traps. You may use whatever weapons or skills to do it, but if you should fail to reach the end of the maze when the clock strikes 12:35 then you'll be dismissed from the facility. Do I make myself clear?_ "

Everyone nodded out of intimidation.

" _Excellent! Take five minutes to prepare yourselves._ "

Glad that she wore sporty clothes today, Lena removed her hoodie and placed it in a locker-room that was located near the maze.

"Where are your weapons?" The short girl asked as she emerged from a changing-room wearing a skin-tight outfit with blue, pink, and white patterning.

"I don't need any," Lena replied confidently. "Especially when I can do this."

The disk on Lena's chest glowed as she appeared back in front of the locker taking off her hoodie once more.

For a moment, the short girl's eyebrows raised. "How did you do that?"

"With the Chronal Accelerator, luv," Lena said pointing to the disk on her chest. "It allows me to travel backwards and forwards in time."

"Isn't that cheating, though? With a power like that, you'll clear the maze before the rest of us have even started."

"I wish I could, but it can only take me backward and forward a few meters before needing to recharge."

"That's too bad," replied the short girl. "Guess I'll be the one to clear this maze first!"

"With what?"

"The great and powerful MEKA, of course!"

Outside the locker-room, a loud humming noise followed. Lena followed the short girl out and saw a machine standing on two feet with mini-guns for hands and jet engines on its back. The exterior of it was painted bright pink and there was a visible cockpit behind a plate of turquoise-colored glass along the front.

"What is that?" Lena asked as the short girl climbed into the cockpit.

"It's a mech, silly!" the short girl said inside the cockpit while clasping a pair of joysticks. "The South Korean military built it to combat a giant Omnic that started plaguing our shores four years ago."

"Sweet ride!" said the boy with the smoking hair, who was now carrying a spiked tire on his back and wearing a vest made of hand-grenades. "Mind if I tag along?"

"There's only room for one passenger, junk boy," the short girl said steering MEKA toward the maze entrance. "You'd just get in my way."

"Junk boy?" The boy with the smoking hair glared. "Why I oughta—

" _Time's up, kids!_ " the man in the armor said, holding his hammer up. " _Now allow me to lower the Barrier Field temporarily so you may enter the maze._ "

With everyone standing back, the man swung the hammer at the blue-tinted shield that blocked the entrance. Upon impact, the shield splintered and created a large opening.

" _Honor and glory to you all!_ " the man in the armor cried as he stood aside to allow everyone to run past him.

But the short girl got through first as MEKA fired its engines and levitated toward the entrance. Upon hitting a wall inside the maze, the girl pressed the red buttons at the top of each joystick, which caused MEKA's mini-guns to fire. The blast caused the wall to collapse allowing MEKA to pass through with its passenger. Then when the others tried to follow, a new wall appeared in a flash of blue light.

" _I forgot to mention this, but the maze is entirely made of hard-light technology provided to us by the Vishkar Corporation, one of our main sponsors!_ " the man in the armor hollered. " _So you may cause as much damage as you want without repercussions!_ "

"Hooley dooley!" said the boy with the smoking hair who took out a round metal object from his pocket. "I'm gonna have a blast with this!"

Placing the metal object on the ground, the boy stood on it with his peg-leg and held up a small detonator. After pressing the big red button, the round object exploded causing the boy to go flying through the air but not high enough to hit the top of the Barrier Field. Some participants were thrown back by the explosion, but Lena managed to activate the Chronal Accelerator in order to move forward to a different point in the maze. Unfortunately, she had warped right into the range of a red turret gun that started firing.

" _Ryujin no ken wo kurae!_ "

To Lena's surprise, a green dragon suddenly flew past her and decimated the turret gun. She looked behind a saw the guy who was at the back of the line with the silver-colored bodysuit brandishing a katana that had a green glow to it.

"Um, thanks," Lena said awkwardly.

The guy nodded and then he climbed up a nearby wall and ran along it.

 _There sure are a lot of interesting chaps taking this exam_ , Lena thought as she turned a corner and was relieved to not see a turret gun. _That guy was like a ninja or something_.

She then felt her foot catch on something, followed by a _twang_ and a brief pain in her neck. Nervously, Lena pulled out a small dart with a tube full of clear liquid. Looking down at her foot, Lena noticed a thin wire which then led to a crossbow that was hidden in a niche between two walls. As she examined these things, Lena's vision grew blurry.

 _Great_ , Lena thought to herself. _I got hit by a drugged dart! Got to keep Blinking!_

So Lena's Chronal Accelerator activated and she moved forward three times before waiting to recharge. Here, she found the floating Omnic hurling the golden orbs from his neck toward a group of incoming missiles that were being launched.

"Oi! You need help, mate?" Lena asked as she stumbled toward the Omnic.

" _I would very much appreciate the help,_ " the Omnic replied as the device that launched the missiles exploded. " _But the situation is completely under control._ "

"Oh, that's…good," Lena replied as her eyelids grew heavy.

" _What's wrong?_ " The Omnic turned around and faced her.

"It's a funny story, actually," Lena said, trying to stay awake. "After being saved by this ninja guy, I walked down a passage and tripped on a wire which then activated a crossbow that shot a drugged arrow into my neck and now I feel drowsy."

" _Sounds like you were hit by a Sleep Dart, which injects a special type of poison that makes the target fall asleep,_ " the Omnic said. " _But do not worry. Allow me to free your mind._ "

Taking one of the orbs he was throwing before, the Omnic tossed it over Lena's shoulder. The orb glowed for a moment as it hovered behind Lena while the Omnic's body was glowing as well. Then after a few seconds, both the orb and the Omnic lost their light.

"Wow, I feel so much better," Lena said wide-eyed. "How could the same orb you threw to destroy that missile-launcher also heal me?"

" _These Orbs are a representation of balance,_ " the Omnic responded. " _They can destroy as well as heal. It just depends on how I use them._ "

From that point on, Lena decided to stick with the Omnic as they navigated through the rest of the maze. In the process, she learned the Omnic's name was Tekhartha Zenyatta, a member of the Shambali who were a group of Omnic monks that had a spiritual awakening in the Himalayan region of Nepal following the Omnic Crisis. Towards the end, though, the two encountered a large pitfall which several participants had fallen into. Fortunately, Zenyatta caught Lena before she fell in as he was able to hover over the pit to the other side.

"Whew! That was a close one," Lena said getting to her feet. "I really owe you one, Tekhartha Zenyatta."

" _There is no need to thank me,_ " Zenyatta said humbly. " _And I would prefer it if you called me 'Zenyatta' which is actually my first name._ "

"Ah, sorry," Lena apologized. "I guess that makes sense considering 'Tekhartha' is in Mondatta's name too."

Zenyatta nodded as he and Lena reached the end of the maze. There, the short girl was standing outside her mech chewing bubblegum while the boy with the smoking hair was snoozing against a wall and the guy with the silver bodysuit stood quietly nearby. The man in the armor was there too, and he flinched upon noticing Lena and Zenyatta approach.

" _Ah! You managed to get past the pitfall!_ " said the man in the armor excitedly. " _Congratulations! You're officially done with the Overwatch High Entrance Exam!_ "

"Sure took you long enough," said the short girl smugly. "And I thought traveling through time would make you faster."

"Should've known the limey tart would wind up babysitting the bucket of bolts," the boy with the smoking hair muttered loudly.

"What did you say?" Lena snapped, turning to face the boy with the smoking hair.

"Nothing, sheila," the boy with the smoking hair said dismissively.

" _Settle down, kids,_ " said the man in the armor calmly. " _This part of the exam isn't determined by who's fastest or slowest but how you handled each situation._ "

That seemed to quiet the short girl and the boy with the smoking hair, but now Lena was worried about whether she had passed the Entrance Exam overall or not.

To be continued…


	3. Stage 3: Hero's Pride and Call Sign!

Stage 3: Hero's Pride and Call Sign!

A month later Lena got an acceptance letter from Overwatch High School which stated that while her grade on the written part was average, her performance during the physical part was considered mostly amateur and reckless. However, Lena's ability to dodge the explosion caused by the boy with the smoking hair, whose name was apparently Jamison Fawkes, and her aiding Zenyatta during the second half were admirable to some of the teachers who proctored the exam so they believed she should be accepted.

"Did you pull any strings, Jack?" Lena asked a man who was standing in the kitchen pouring a pot of coffee into a cup that said, '#1 Dad' on it.

He was a well-built man despite having a receding hairline of white hair wearing a plain white T-shirt and blue sweatpants with red stripes. His eyes and the lower-half of his face were covered up by a red-tinted visor and a dark metallic mask.

" _None whatsoever,_ " replied the white-haired man whose voice sounded distorted through the mask. " _Though I did advocate for your acceptance based on how quickly you adapted to the situations and your willingness to work with others, even if it was an Omnic._ "

"Who was the other teacher that advocated for me?"

" _Ana Amari, an old colleague I fought alongside during the Omnic Crisis,_ " Jack said solemnly.

Thinking back to the proctors she met, Lena nervously said, "She didn't happen to have a tattoo below her right eye, did she?"

Jack's eyebrow raised. " _Did you meet her at the Entrance Exam?_ "

"Let's just say I got into some trouble with her," Lena responded shyly.

" _What kind of trouble?_ "

"There was this kid who was saying something mean about the Omnic who participated in the exam, so I told him off, then he accused me of arguing and it just got out of hand until Ana showed up."

" _Did she punish you?_ "

"No, she let us off with a warning."

" _So it wasn't a big deal, then._ " Jack turned away from Lena as he took off his mask and drank the coffee. "Just out of curiosity…what did the kid say about the Omnic?"

"He thought it was disgraceful to let an Omnic participate in the exam when he could've been planning to kill us, but I said that was ridiculous because you and those other guys at Overwatch removed all the God Programs that caused the Omnics to go berserk in the first place."

"That may be true, but they're still tools," Jack responded, finishing his coffee. "Someone could easily program them to start killing again, or there could be fragments of the God Programs that we haven't erased yet still inside them."

"I know that, but they shouldn't be treated like inferior beings," Lena said defensively. "The Shambali prove Omnics can have spiritual understanding, which is very human."

"But also frightening if you think about it," Jack retorted, putting the mask back on. " _The more human they act, the harder it will be to tell if they're a threat or not._ "

"The Omnic Crisis is over, Jack!" Lena snapped. "Stop looking at the past, and embrace the future instead!"

" _Easier said than done,_ " Jack muttered. " _I lost a lot of good friends during that war, so it wouldn't seem right to just shake hands with the Omnics and say we're even._ "

"That's why these things take time," Lena said urgently. "Maybe if you actually listened to what Omnics like Tekhartha Mondatta say, you'd understand where I'm coming from."

" _I do understand where you're coming from, Lena. You grew up in a world that wasn't plagued by war, but I was._ "

"True, though you're forgetting what happened to me when I was little."

" _No, I haven't forgotten. But wandering through different time-periods is not the same as seeing dozens of Omnics slaughter humans by the truckload._ "

"And this is why I'm glad we're not related," Lena said and stormed up the stairs.

Back in her room, Lena read the bottom-half of the letter which stated that all incoming students are required to come up with a 'call sign' or alias to be used instead of their real names. Then on the back of the letter was an application for a call sign which had to be submitted to the nearest Overwatch headquarters prior to the first day of school. So for the rest of the morning, Lena sat at her desk trying to come up with a call sign.

"What about…'Time Girl'? No, too generic…" Lena muttered crossing the name of a list she made. "'…Blinky?', no too stupid. 'Pulse'? Maybe…"

###

"Ugh! Why can't I come up with anything?" Lena said angrily. "The deadline for submitting call signs is tomorrow, and so far I have nothing!"

"Maybe some training will clear your head," Winston said as the two of them were standing in a wooded clearing on the outskirts of Hollywood, Los Angeles.

While Winston sported a plain white T-shirt and blue sweats, Lena wore a yellow sports bra and blue tempo shorts.

"I hope so," Lena said doing some stretches. "Do you think I'm strong enough to take on your Primal Rage form yet?"

"Not by a long-shot," Winston responded shaking his head.

"Come on!" Lena whined. "We've been training together for two months now, and considering how badly I did during the Entrance Exam, I want to train harder!"

"You didn't do that bad," replied Winston. "Sure, you charged into situations without thinking and mostly relied on others but you're just a beginner. You'll get better with time."

"I know, Winston, and that's why I want to get better before school starts!"

"Then let's get started."

Lena used the Chronal Accelerator to strike Winston first. However, he managed to block her punch with one large hand. In response, Lena moved backward in time using the Chronal Accelerator and avoided Winston's hand by punching him in the gut. Winston flinched temporarily, but this gave Lena enough time to try kicking him in the head. Unfortunately, Winston grabbed her leg and threw her to the ground.

"You're not focused," Winston said as he helped Lena to her feet. "Now let's retrace your steps and figure out what you did wrong there."

"Retrace…trace…that's it!" Lena exclaimed and hugged Winston. "Thanks, luv."

"For what?" Winston asked.

"You've just given me a great idea for my call sign," Lena replied.

She went over to her brown backpack which stood next to a tree, took out a pen, and scribbled something into her hand. Once she was done, Lena walked over to Winston and slowed her palm to him.

"'Tracer'?" Winston read, adjusting his glasses. "How does this name fit you?"

"It refers to the Chronal Accelerator," Lena explained. "While my body is constantly moving through time, the Accelerator transmits a signal that allows it to be traced and kept in the present no matter which way I'm going."

"I see what you're saying," Winston said thoughtfully. "Not a bad call sign, I'd say."

To be continued…


	4. Stage 4: Absent Roommates!

**So from here on out, I'm going to be referring to everyone who attends or works at Overwatch High by their call signs or aliases. For instance, the main protagonist Lena Oxton will now be called Tracer since that is her call sign. However, some characters may reveal their real names to the people they trust such as friends, relatives, and mentors.**

Stage 4: Absent Roommates and Familiar Faces!

Upon moving into the girls' dormitory at Overwatch High School, Tracer was amazed by how big the campus was. Located in Numbani, Nigeria, which was a technologically advanced city that lay at the center of a vast savanna, the school contained silicon buildings that were disk-shaped instead of rectangular with moss growing on the sides and small gardens containing young acacia trees and bright green grass. There were also large statues of animals scattered about, such as a golden cheetah in front of the girls' dorm and a matching colored lion in front of the boys'. The dorm Tracer moved into was a three-room suite with sliding metallic doors, white carpeted floors that were soft to the touch, and circular windows.

While Winston set Tracer's things down in the living-room which contained light-blue bean bag chairs a circular glass table and a holographic widescreen TV, Tracer went to inspect the rooms. There were electronic name tags posted on the front of each door, which included Tracer's own and two others.

"Pharah…and…Zarya," Tracer said reading the name tags out loud.

The doors slid open automatically, but they were completely empty except for different-colored beds and other accessories which made each room distinctive. In Pharah's room, for instance, there was a glass case where a blue-colored suit with mechanical wings and a helmet shaped like a bird's head stood erect next to a bed that had blue and gold Egyptian hieroglyphs printed on it. Zarya's room, by contrast, was bare except for a giant cannon-like gun that was mounted on the wall opposite to the door and there was a hand-knitted quilt on the bed.

"Seems they're not in," Tracer said, trying to hide her disappointment.

"You'll meet them soon enough," Winston said encouragingly. "I'll be in my dorm if you need anything."

"Okay," Tracer said walking Winston to the front door. "See you around."

"You too," Winston replied, and left the dorm.

Sighing deeply, Tracer carried her things into her room which was empty except for a metal bed, a matching desk and chair, a closet with a sliding metal door, and a metal dresser with drawers that opened with the push of a button.

"Gosh," Tracer muttered as she set her things on the bed. "Everything's made of metal around here."

Looking at her watch, Tracer remembered she had to be at the school assembly for incoming freshman in an hour. So in that time, Tracer assembled everything in her room using the Chronal Accelerator to make it faster. She placed clothes in the drawer and closet, spread her custom spread with the British flag on the bed, put up two posters depicting movies made by Omnic director Hal-Fred Glitchbot which included _They Came From Beyond The Moon_ and _Six-Gun Killer_ , and placed a small statue of Tekhartha Mondatta on top of the desk.

Satisfied, Tracer left the dorm and navigated across campus till she found the assembly hall. It was hemispherical in shape, and there were several people milling about. Tracer approached the group but found that everyone had already formed their own groups. She then noticed Zenyatta floating among a crowd of people while the guy with the silver-colored suit stood nearby.

"Zenyatta!" Tracer shouted, trying to get his attention.

" _Oh! I remember you!_ " Zenyatta exclaimed as the crowd parted to allow Tracer through. " _You're the one who helped me during the physical part of the Entrance Exam._ "

"I guess, though it was more you helping me than the other way around," Tracer said nervously.

" _On the contrary,_ " Zenyatta replied. " _If you hadn't escorted me to the exit, I would've fallen behind significantly. And now that we're both here, we might as well introduce ourselves. What's your name?_ "

"It's Lena Oxton," responded Tracer, holding her hand out to shake. "But you can call me Tracer. That's my call sign."

" _An interesting name, Tracer,_ " Zenyatta said shaking Tracer's hand. " _I am Tekhartha Zenyatta, though you may refer to me as Zenyatta which is my call sign. That young man over there is Genji Shimada, a human pupil of mine from the Shambali temple in Nepal._ "

" _But I would prefer it if you called me Genji,_ " said the guy in the silver-colored suit. His voice sounded robotic but also Japanese.

"Nice to meet you, Genji," Tracer said, approaching the guy in the silver-colored suit. "I wanted to thank you for saving me from that turret gun that almost shot me during the Entrance Exam."

" _I humbly accept your thanks,_ " Genji replied, staring down at Tracer with a green-colored visor that hid his eyes beneath the silver helmet he wore. " _Though I feel sorry for burdening you with taking care of my Master when I should've been there for him._ "

" _There's no need to apologize for that, Genji,_ " Zenyatta said assuredly. " _We all passed the Entrance Exam in some shape or form and have now been given the privilege to attend this illustrious school where our skills may be put to good use._ "

" _I hope so, Master, for both of our sakes,_ " Genji replied though he sounded doubtful.

"Shimada…" Tracer muttered to herself. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

Zenyatta raised his metal finger. " _You've probably heard of—_

" _Don't tell her, Master!_ " Genji suddenly snapped, causing Tracer and Zenyatta to look at him. " _I'd rather not have you talk about my past to someone we barely know._ "

" _Ah, sorry, Genji,_ " Zenyatta nodded. " _I'm glad you stopped me._ "

" _Attention, incoming freshmen!_ " said a voice over the speakers located outside the assembly hall that sounded female and robotic. " _Please make your way in an orderly fashion into the assembly hall for announcements and Class Sorting._ "

"Class Sorting?" Tracer wondered as she made her way into the assembly hall along with the other kids.

To be continued…


	5. Stage 5: Class Sorting!

Stage 5: Class Sorting!

The assembly hall itself was shiny and metallic like the rest of campus with rows of white plastic fold-up chairs and concrete flooring. There was a steady slope down to a circular stage made of white-coated metal where a holographic image of the Overwatch symbol stood, which resembled the Peace Sign except it lacked a middle line and was white with the top section being bright yellow. At the top of each row in the assembly hall was a black flag depicting four different symbols. The one on the far right showed three bullets lined up in a row, the right-middle flag depicted a plain shield, the left-middle one showed a triangle with a diamond-shaped hole, and the flag on the far left showed a cross.

Tracer and the other freshmen were assigned to the center row of the assembly hall as the lights dimmed and a single man appeared underneath a spotlight. He wore a red visor and a metallic mask that covered the bottom half of his face. His clothing consisted of a blue jacket with red-and-white stripes, black pants, and metallic knee-high boots.

" _Welcome to Overwatch High School, incoming freshmen. I am Soldier: 76, the principal of this private institution,_ " the man said as the light reflected off his receding hairline of white hair. " _For those of you who don't know, this campus is brand-new. We used to be located in Switzerland until last year when an explosion destroyed the Overwatch headquarters there, forcing us to relocate. We think the explosion was caused by Talon, a mysterious organization whose intentions aren't clear and yet they've caused several terrorist attacks around the world since their formation. They haven't tried to attack our base here yet, but I want you kids to stay sharp. If you notice anything suspicious or know anyone who's connected to Talon, please let me or any of the other teachers know._ "

No one said a thing as a heavy silence hung over the whole assembly.

" _Well, that about covers announcements,_ " Soldier: 76 said as the Overwatch symbol was replaced by the four symbols on the flags. " _Now let's get into Class Sorting. This is a standard procedure we do for all incoming freshmen to determine which area of combat they're most suited for based on how well they handled the physical part of the Entrance Exam. We recorded the whole thing on hidden cameras and then fed the recordings to Athena, an AI program that was developed by Winston, one of our senior students, so that she could sort all the incoming freshmen into their appropriate Class combat-wise. But before we get to that, I want to introduce the teachers who represent each Class._ "

Loud upbeat music blared over the speakers as three individuals stepped forward. Tracer recognized all of them from the Entrance Exam, and noticed Soldier: 76 stand in front of the symbol with the three bullets. Then once the others had taken their places, a spotlight shined on the tall woman whom Tracer got in trouble with.

"My name is Ana, and I represent the Support Class," said the tall woman with the blue and black hood wielding a sniper rifle in both hands. "This is for people who prefer to help others on the battlefield as opposed to fighting on the front-lines. But with that comes a greater responsibility as comrades will depend on your ability to heal as well as provide cover when they least expect it. So if you have a selfless heart and a lot of patience, this Class is the perfect fit."

The next individual that stepped forward was the towering man in armor who wielded the giant hammer once more. " _Greetings, kiddos! I'm Reinhardt, and I stand for the Tank Class. Under my tutelage, you'll learn what it takes to tear through your enemies and lead your comrades to victory! Join me, and your limits will be tested to their fullest potential ever!_ "

There was a loud holler from the crowd as Reinhardt stepped back and the short old man with the blond beard and pincer-like arm took the center-stage.

"Torbjörn's the name, and I run the Defense Class," the short old man said. "If you're a strategist who prefers handling combat from a distance instead of up close and personal, then you've come to the right place. Under my supervision, you'll learn the best strategies to win battles without endangering too many lives while still supporting your fellow comrades!"

Then the spotlight fell on Soldier: 76, who was now carrying a large handgun. "You already know who I am, and I'm in charge of Offense Class. Still want to shoot bad guys up close but not be at the front of the line? Are you the protective type who wants to make sure everyone succeeds regardless if they're helpless or not? Then Offense is right for you."

The assembly cheered as the spotlight dimmed over Soldier: 76 while a computer monitor was lifted down from the rafters. It was a black screen with a blue A-shaped symbol over the name 'Athena' written in white letters.

" _Now it is time to commence the Class Sorting,_ " said a female voice that came from the computer monitor. " _Incoming freshmen, please rise from your seats and form a single line leading up to the stage in alphabetical order. You will each stand before me as my scanners confirm your identity. From there, I, Athena, shall determine which Class you belong to based on my initial calculations from your video files._ "

Nervously, Tracer stood up along with the other kids. They formed a slightly crooked but mostly straight line. The first person to approach the stage was the boy with the smoking hair. He covered his eyes as blue lights emerged from the screen and scanned his whole body from head to toe.

"What're you trying to do, make me go blind?" the boy with the smoking hair snapped.

" _Junkrat,_ " Athena stated as images of Jamison using the land-mines to launch himself into the air and hand grenades to blow up turret guns. " _Based on your performance during the Exam, I have determined that the Class you are best suited for is…Defense._ "

"Aw, what a ripoff!" Junkrat said raising his arms up in disgust. "I thought I'd get into the Tank Class for sure!"

" _Please make your way to the row where the flag with the shield insignia stands._ "

"Yeah, yeah, doesn't take a genius to figure that out," Junkrat muttered as he left the stage.

From there on, the sorting went relatively smoothly. The short girl with the headphones, who came in second to Junkrat, approached the stage where Athena addressed her as 'D. Va'. She was placed into Tank Class, much to Junkrat's dismay, and seemed happy while skipping to the row that had the flag with the triangle on it. Genji soon followed after a few people had gone, and he was placed into Offense and headed to the row with the flag that had three bullets. After that, Tracer came up onto the stage and waited patiently for Athena to finish scanning her.

" _Based on your performance during the Exam, Tracer, it was slightly difficult for me to calculate the best Class for you. But despite this initial setback, I have determined the Class you're suited for is…Offense._ "

 _Great,_ Tracer thought, glancing at Soldier: 76. _I'm still stuck with him._

Once she had seated herself in the row under the flag with the three bullets on it, several other people went until Zenyatta was the last one. He was put into the Support Class, which Tracer thought was fitting, and he made his way to the row which had the flag with the cross. When Tracer glanced up at Genji, he seemed somewhat disappointed. Then after Athena left, Soldier: 76 wrapped things up by telling everyone that classes would start the following day at 8:00 AM sharp and dismissed them.

To be continued…


	6. Stage 6: Loneliness and Wake-Up Call!

Stage 6: Loneliness and Wake-Up Call!

By the time Tracer got back to her dorm, she was exhausted. The assembly had started at 3:00 PM and lasted over an hour. Afterwards, Tracer decided to get dinner at the school cafeteria which was ironically called _The Watering Hole_. She invited Genji and Zenyatta to join her, but they declined as they didn't require food.

"But I thought you were human, Genji," Tracer said baffled.

" _I am, but I'm also part-machine,_ " Genji replied. " _As a result, I can't eat solid foods._ "

"So what do you eat?" asked Tracer.

" _Primarily liquid foods which are injected into my bloodstream, and I have to charge the battery that runs my life-support systems at least once a day._ "

"Sounds rough. How did you end up this way?"

Genji turned away. " _I'd…rather not talk about it._ "

Then Genji left, followed by Zenyatta leaving Tracer all alone. She then proceeded into the cafeteria, which was inside a circular building made of shimmering glass that reminded Tracer of water catching the sunlight. There were several buffet-type areas with food from different countries of the world, and circular tables arranged in a slope-like formation that was similar to rice paddy farms. After grabbing a hamburger and soft drink, Tracer tried to find her roommates but not knowing what they looked like didn't help. It was then that she noticed the short girl, D. Va, sitting at a table by herself eating a bag of Dorito chips with a bottle of Mt. Dew by her side.

"Oi! Mind if I sit with you?" Tracer offered, approaching D. Va excitedly.

"Only if you can beat my high-score at this game," D. Va said, showing Tracer her handheld game which showed a giant gorilla standing at the top of a construction site on the top screen.

"I've…never played a game before," Tracer admitted.

D. Va scuffed. "Noob."

"What did you just call me?" Tracer responded irritably.

"It's a term gamers use for people who know nothing about gaming, like you," D. Va answered.

"Well, if you're just going to insult me then I might as well not sit with you," Tracer replied and walked away.

"Fine," D. Va said as she resumed eating her Dorito chips.

Then after a lonely dinner, Tracer decided to walk around campus looking for her classes. The sun soon went down and the campus became illuminated by diamond-shaped lampposts. Yet despite this, Tracer managed to bump into someone.

"I'm so sorry," Tracer apologized.

When she looked up, Tracer saw a large man with gray hair tied up in a short ponytail. His face was obscured by a gas-mask that was shaped like a pig's head, and was wearing a green-colored uniform though his beer gut stock out. In one hand he carried a large chain with a hook attached to it that had several pieces of garbage stacked on.

" _Watch where you're going,_ " the large man bellowed through his mask. " _It's getting close to Light's Out. You should probably head back to your dorm._ "

"Yeah, you're right," Tracer said as she slowly backed away. "Thanks for reminding me."

The large man grumbled in response and resumed picking up trash with his hooked chain. When he wasn't looking, Tracer ran back to the girls' dorm in a hurry.

Now in the safety of her own room, Tracer thought about seeing if her roommates were back but noticed the doors were still closed. Not wanting to disturb them, she went into the bathroom that was a part of the suite. After changing into her pajamas and brushing her teeth, Tracer crawled under the covers of her familiar bedspread and fell asleep.

###

"Hey, you!"

A splash of sudden cold woke Tracer up so suddenly that she stood up straight. Wiping the water from her eyes, she saw a tall figure standing at the foot of her bed. It was a young woman with honey-colored skin, medium dark hair tied into braids adorned by gold beads, wearing a blue hoodie over a gray undershirt, black jeggings, and matching running shoes. Below her left eye was a tattoo that consisted of a straight line and a curved one.

"Why'd you do that?" Tracer asked as she got up.

"It's 7:30," the young woman stated. "Classes start at 8:00 AM sharp."

"Right!" Tracer said, grabbing some clothes from her dresser.

Before the young woman could respond, Tracer activated the Chronal Accelerator so she could quickly get changed, brush her hair and teeth, and hurry out the door. Then at the bottom of the stairs, Tracer used the Chronal Accelerator again to flash forward to the cafeteria. She got a blueberry muffin and a cup of black tea there before heading out. On the way, Tracer consumed the muffin quickly and drank the tea down in one gulp though it burned her throat. She then flashed forward up the stairs of a building with a water buffalo statue in front of it, and entered a small classroom on the second floor which contained shiny metallic tables and plastic chairs. An electronic bell rang followed by Soldier: 76 arriving after Tracer had taken an empty seat near the middle.

" _Ten hut!_ " Soldier: 76 ordered. _"Rise when I enter!_ "

The students quickly got up and stood erect.

" _Now since this is your first day, I'll let this slide,_ " Soldier: 76 said glancing at the whole class. " _But if I catch any of you still sitting when I say, 'Ten hut' in the future you'll be expelled from my class! Understood?_ "

"Yes, sir," the whole class said nervously.

" _Say that again,_ " Soldier: 76 mocked.

"Yes, sir!"

"At ease."

The whole class sat down as Soldier: 76 walked to the front of the class carrying a clipboard and pen.

" _Now to cover attendance._ " Soldier: 76 picked up the clipboard and held up the pen. " _Starting with the front row, I want each of you to stand up, state your call sign, and list off any special skills or abilities. Make it quick, though. We've got a lot to cover today._ "

To be continued…


	7. Stage 7: First Day Anxieties (Part 1)!

Stage 7: First Day Anxieties (Part 1)!

So one at a time, the students stood and spoke for at least a minute before sitting down again. If a student spoke longer, Soldier: 76 silenced them. When it came to Tracer's turn, she stood up so fast that her chair fell over. The class briefly laughed.

"Hello, everyone," Tracer said hesitantly. "My name's Tracer, and I can travel through time."

Upon hearing that, everyone grew quiet and attentive.

"To be more specific, I can go forward or backward in time a few meters from my present location."

Soldier: 76 scribbled something on his clipboard while Tracer straightened her chair. " _Next!_ "

After several students spoke, Genji stood up much to Tracer's surprise. " _My name is Genji, and I'm an_ _expert with the katana sword._ _I also know how to use Shuriken blades, climb walls, and-_

" _Next!_ " Soldier: 76 barked, causing Genji to sit down.

Then once everyone was finished, Soldier: 76 clicked a button which pulled down a projector screen. On it were images of several weapons forming a single word and a number.

" _Welcome to Weapons 101,_ " Soldier: 76 said firmly. " _Here you will learn about every single weapon that exists in the world from firearms to explosives, hand-cannons to swords, and everything in between. We will also be learning how to use the weapons you'll most likely confront in the real world, and I'll be expecting you to master at least one weapon we cover. At the end of the year, your final will be to build a weapon of your own. Can be anything you want, so long at it's functional and you know how to use it. Any questions so far?_ "

No one spoke.

" _Good,_ " Soldier: 76 nodded and pressed the button again, which changed the image to bullet-points of text. " _Your homework assignment will be to read the first chapter of the Weapons Manuel by tomorrow and be prepared to take a supplementary quiz. Fail it, and you lose ten points off your final grade. Class dismissed._ "

The electronic bell rang shortly afterward as students filtered out. Genji zipped ahead before Tracer got the chance to talk to him. Unfortunately, Tracer didn't have the luxury to go after him as she had to get to her next class. Fortunately, it was located on the same floor as Weapons 101 inside a big lecture hall with wooden desks and swivel chairs. A blue light shined down on Torbjörn's bald head as he used his pincer-shaped arm to move the podium aside which obscured his figure from the students that were pouring in.

" _Tracer!_ " Zenyatta cried, holding onto a chair as he floated. " _I saved a seat for you._ "

"Zenyatta," Tracer said sitting in the chair. "This is Omnic History. Don't you know this stuff already?"

" _Some, but not all,_ " Zenyatta replied hovering next to Tracer. " _After the Crisis had passed, many Omnics were left confused as their memories of the event had been erased. I was one such Omnic until I joined the Shambali monks. They allowed me to glimpse into the past, which filled me with the desire to make peace with the humans but also learn more about those terrible events that have caused humans to be afraid of us._ "

"If you're done talking up there, I'd like to get started," Torbjörn said irritably.

" _My apologies,_ " Zenyatta said bowing his head.

Torbjörn flinched, and then he addressed the class. "Though the Omnic Crisis only happened ten years ago, it's important that we look at this critical event as it will undoubtably shape our future relations with the Omnics and how we handle similar events."

From there, Torbjörn went into a hour-long lecture which included holographic slides showing images of Omnics being manufactured and forced to do menial labor. While Tracer was furiously taking notes, Zenyatta merely watched the slides as the blue dots on his forehead occasionally glowed. When the bell rang, Torbjörn assigned the class to do research on the company that originally produced the Omnics and write a short paper on why they implemented the God Programs by Friday.

Tracer then used the Chronal Accelerator to get from the building with the water buffalo statue to the gym which was similar to the cafeteria in terms of architecture but bigger. Inside, there was a long metallic corridor with people going in and out of the locker-rooms. Entering the girls' locker-room which was on the left side of the corridor, she found D. Va already changing into gym clothes.

Ignoring her, Tracer picked out a locker and placed her belongings inside before putting on a plain white T-shirt with the Overwatch logo on it and a pair of yellow tempo shorts. Following behind D. Va, Tracer made her way down the corridor into a sliding door which revealed a giant basketball court. There were already students milling about, including Junkrat, and one man who was quite tall and muscular despite having medium-length white hair, a matching beard, and a long scar down his left eye.

" _Ja_ , now we can officially start class," said the tall man in a thick German accent. "Everyone, gather round me!"

Everyone obeyed and stood in a half-circle around the tall man while Junkrat hung near the back.

"This is Combat Training, which is required for all students to take, and I am Reinhardt, your instructor, though you probably don't recognize me outside the suit."

"Where'd you get that scar on your face, mate?" Junkrat abruptly asked. "Did an Omnic do that to you?"

Reinhardt folded his arms. "I wasn't done talking. Ten laps around court."

Junkrat blinked. "Y-You mean—

"Run!" Reinhardt ordered, causing Junkrat to flinch and run along the circumference of the basketball court. "Now as I was saying, this class is required if you want to graduate. To be a hero, you must be able to fight no matter what Class you're in. We will be covering basics in hand-to-hand combat, weapons use, and Ultimate Abilities."

"Ultimate Abilities?" Tracer said out loud.

"They are your strongest possible attack," Reinhardt nodded. "But we won't cover those till you've reached your full potential combat-wise. In the meantime, let's do warmups and stretches before I teach you basic fighting moves."

"Um, question," D. Va said raising her hand. "Do I really need to learn hand-to-hand combat when I'll be doing most of the fighting inside my mech?"

"Of course," Reinhardt answered. "Let's say your mech gets destroyed in battle. Then what will you do?"

"I'll, um, run away," D. Va offered.

"Wrong! A hero never runs from battle. You must be prepared for anything. That's Rule Number One in Combat Training!"

D. Va said nothing in response, and so the warmups and stretches commenced.

To be continued…


	8. Stage 8: First Day Anxieties (Part 2)!

Stage 8: First Day Anxieties (Part 2)!

After Combat Training, Tracer was weary. So she went to the _Watering Hole_ cafeteria for lunch, and picked up a small chicken pot pie with a bottle of water. On her way to the table she sat at last night, Tracer heard someone shouting 'Hey!' and looked around. Approaching her was the tall girl from the dorm-room carrying a tray with fried patties and a salad.

"Hey, you're the one who woke me up," Tracer said, recognizing the girl.

"I am," the tall girl said and held out her hand while balancing the tray awkwardly. "My call sign is Pharah."

"Tracer," Tracer said shaking Pharah's hand. "How come I didn't see you yesterday?"

"Personal matters," Pharah replied looking downward. "And I'm not sure where Zarya was."

"Isn't that our third roommate?"

Pharah nodded. "We'll have to catch her sometime to properly introduce ourselves, but for now I would like to make up for my rudeness by having lunch with you."

"Smashing!" Tracer said and pulled out a chair for Pharah to sit in. "And I thought I was going to be eating alone again."

"I also wanted to make sure you made it to class on time," Pharah said as she sat down across from Tracer who took the opposite seat. "I got worried when you suddenly disappeared in front of me."

"Oh, I didn't disappear," Tracer responded. "You just saw me Blink."

"Blink?" Pharah's eyebrow raised slightly.

"Move forward in time, using the Chronal Accelerator," Tracer said as she unzipped her hoodie and pointed at the blue disk strapped to her chest. "It allows me to move backwards and forwards through time a few meters per use."

"I see," Pharah said and started eating one of the fried patties. "You probably shouldn't have told me that."

Tracer looked confused. "Why?"

"Because you never know if the person you're telling your secret abilities to can be reliable. They could be a friend, or an enemy in disguise."

"Are you implying that you're an enemy?" Tracer asked.

"No," Pharah said shaking her head. "I am a friend, but in the future you might want to be more cautious about telling your abilities to other people."

"For what reason? This school is safe, right?"

"It should be, but who knows? We thought we were safe in Switzerland, but then Talon agents attacked the Overwatch base forcing us to move here."

"So you were there when it happened?"

"I was a freshman last year. Now I'm a sophomore."

"Oh, god, that must've been awful!"

"You have no idea."

Then Pharah ate her lunch in silence, while Tracer did the same. The bell rang a little while later, forcing the two to part. From the cafeteria, Tracer made her way to a building that looked identical to the one with the water buffalo statue in front only it had an elephant statue instead. Here, Tracer attended English which was taught by Liao, one of the six founding members of Overwatch. His manner of teaching was not nearly as commanding as Soldier: 76 or charismatic as Reinhardt, so Tracer quickly got bored and was glad when class ended.

The next class on Tracer's schedule was Criminal Psychology, which was taught in the same building as English. It wasn't until she entered the class that Tracer noticed Ana standing at the front of the classroom watching everyone closely like a hawk. Embarrassed, Tracer avoided eye-contact and sat down near the back. Then when Pharah entered, Ana's piercing eye seemed to soften slightly. However, Pharah returned Ana's gaze with a glaring look before sitting next to Tracer.

 _What was that about?_ Tracer wondered.

"Welcome to Criminal Psychology, heroes-in-training," Ana said getting everyone's attention. "At a glance, you might think this class will be boring. But let me assure you that you'll need this in order to face actual criminals. To successfully capture a criminal and bring them to justice, you'll have to think like one. For instance, turn to the person next to you."

Everyone did this, including Tracer who found herself staring at Pharah.

"Can you tell just by looking at the person whether they're a criminal or not?" Ana asked.

Most of the students shook their heads, while Tracer seemed perplexed.

"By the end of the year, you'll know how to tell friend from foe," Ana said and wrote some things on the white-board. "This in turn brings us to the first lesson we'll be covering for the next two weeks: Trust."

From there, Ana conducted a series of in-class exercises related to trust and often required the students to group into pairs. Since Tracer didn't know anyone else, she asked Pharah to pair up with her. While Pharah didn't seem to mind, she seemed troubled by something. By the time class ended, Ana had assigned everyone to do several social experiments related to the in-class exercises and bring back the results Friday. Tracer was about to head through the door when someone nudged her aside. It was a slender young woman with long purple hair tied into a ponytail, matching skin, golden eyes, wearing a pink halter top, dark purple jeggings, and black heeled shoes.

"Excuse me!" Tracer exclaimed. "You nearly knocked me over."

"Oh, pardon," said the slender young woman as she glanced over her shoulder. "I didn't see you there, _chéri_."

Then the slender young woman walked away laughing while Tracer glared at her.

"Who was that?" Tracer wondered out loud.

"That's Widowmaker," Pharah answered. "Everyone treats her like a queen because she's got them wrapped around her little finger. Rumor has it she was captured by Talon before attending this school until Overwatch agents rescued her, hence the purple skin and heartless attitude."

"You mean they did something to make her that way?" Tracer said turning to Pharah.

Pharah shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just repeating what I've heard."

Later, Tracer entered a lecture hall similar to the one Torbjörn taught in where Soldier: 76 was standing behind a podium looking through files on a holographic computer screen. She found Genji and sat next to him. He didn't seem to notice her and kept staring ahead.

"Um, hey, Genji," Tracer said, trying to get his attention.

" _If you're here to ask me further about my condition, then please sit somewhere else,_ " Genji said bluntly.

"No, actually," Tracer replied. "I wanted to apologize for asking about your condition to begin with. Obviously, you're still troubled by it so I won't pry further. But if you do want to talk about it, let me know."

" _Very well,_ " Genji nodded. " _Then I shall try my best to not run away when such questions are brought up and not act rude to you from now on._ "

"How very hypocritical of you, brother!"

Tracer looked to Genji's left and saw a young Japanese man standing beside him with white streaks in his short dark hair that was tied up into a tight ponytail, a similar-colored chin-beard, wearing a blue T-Shirt with a dragon design on it, khaki pants, brown sandals, and carrying a gray drawstring backpack.

" _Hanzo,_ " Genji muttered loudly.

In response, the young Japanese man scuffed and walked further down the steps till he came to a row that was right below the podium.

"What a tit*!" Tracer said, folding her arms. "He had no right to say that to you, Genji."

" _He does have a point, though,_ " Genji said lowering his head. " _I haven't exactly been the most respectable to him since we both started attending this school._ "

"How come?"

" _We share a very…complicated history that would take too long to explain here._ "

"Oh."

" _Ten hut!_ " Soldier: 76 stated, causing everyone in the room to stand up. Seeing no one sitting down, Soldier: 76 nodded in approval. " _At ease, soldiers!_ "

Hearing that, everyone sat back in their seats while Soldier: 76 pulled up several holographic images showing war, crime, starvation, natural disasters, and two words hovering above them all.

" _When you hear something like 'Hero Ethics', you think you understand what that means,_ " Soldier: 76 started, and then glared at the whole class through his visor. " _But that's where you're wrong! Heroism and ethics don't always go together and their meanings change depending on the circumstances. During the Omnic Crisis, for instance, my comrades and I were considered heroes but now that the war's over many UN diplomats consider our organization to be too invasive into other country's problems and think we should be monitored more closely. Why do you think that is?_ "

Hanzo's hand shot up. Soldier: 76 looked around for other hands but upon seeing none he called upon Hanzo.

"Because Overwatch is a privately funded group with no government tie-ins, therefore Overwatch's actions go unchecked as they freely travel the world fighting crime without any repercussions or regulations to follow," Hanzo answered in a stoic yet dignified fashion.

Soldier: 76 hesitated and then said, " _That is correct, Hanzo, but then why would the UN want to restrict us?_ "

"They fear Overwatch might cause an international incident that will lead to war and potentially create more problems than solutions," replied Hanzo.

" _True, even though Overwatch has made several breakthroughs in science and technology since the Omnic Crisis ended,_ " Soldier: 76 responded, and then he addressed the class. " _So as you can see, ethics are fickle regarding heroes and the world they protect. We will be studying mostly current events, though occasionally revert back to past incidents if they relate to the present. Your homework this week will be to look up a current issue and decide if what the authorities did was right or wrong. You'll need to present both sides of the argument and be prepared to discuss it by Friday. Do I make myself clear?_ "

"Yes, sir!" Everyone responded.

" _Good,_ " Soldier: 76 nodded.

To be continued…

* In British slang, 'tit' means 'fool'


	9. Stage 9: Prejudice and Trust!

**Now that I've covered Tracer's basic class schedule, I won't go into detail about everything she does in every single one of her classes unless it's related to the plot.**

Stage 9: Prejudice and Trust!

When Tracer got back to her dorm, she found a young woman who was even taller than Pharah standing in the living-room area. The woman had a very thick and muscular body with short hair that was partially shaved and dyed bright pink. She had a cross-shaped scar above her right eye, and was wearing a blue sports bra, leather fingerless gloves, matching blue sweatpants, and black army boots. There was also a tattoo on her left shoulder that spelled out the number '512' in a stylized fashion and some black wavy lines on her forearm.

"Are you one who has Omnic posters and statue in room?" the big woman demanded.

"Um, yes," Tracer said nervously, but decided to be polite and hold out her hand to shake. "You must be Zarya. I'm Tracer, your new roommate."

Instead of shaking it, the big woman frowned. "Do you sympathize with Omnics?"

"Well, sort of. I like Hal-Fred Glitchbot films because they're really good, ignoring the fact that he's an Omnic, and I believe in some of the philosophies that Tekhartha Mondatta preaches but not all of them."

"Sounds like excuse Omnic lover would give," Zarya scuffed.

"I take it from your tone that you don't like Omnics," Tracer noted.

"They attacked my village when I was little girl, now I hate them," Zarya replied. "For this reason, would you please take down Omnic stuff in room?"

Angered, Tracer said, "You can't tell me what to do! It's my room, not yours!"

" _Da_ , but this is our dorm," Zarya responded folding her arms. "Therefore, we must agree upon certain things if we're to get along."

Just then, Pharah stepped into the living-room. "Hey, Zarya, I see you've already met Tracer, our new roommate."

"I have," Zarya said and stormed into her room as the door automatically closed behind.

"Did I just miss something?" Pharah asked turning to Tracer.

"It was nothing important," Tracer said, running into her room to hide the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

###

The next morning, Tracer got up at the sound of her alarm-clock which was shaped like the Overwatch symbol. She stepped out into the living-room just as Pharah emerged from the bathroom. Embarrassed, Tracer attempted to walk past Pharah but was pinched on the shoulder.

"Just a moment," Pharah said turning to face Tracer. "I want to know what happened between you and Zarya."

"She wanted me to take down my Hal-Fred Glitchbot movie posters and a statue I have of Tekhartha Mondatta, just because she hates Omnics," Tracer answered reluctantly. "But I refused to."

"You should probably take them down for her sake," Pharah suggested. "She comes from a small village in Siberia that was attacked by Omnics and completely destroyed while her parents were killed in the process."

"How do you know this?" Tracer asked.

"We were roommates last year, and she told me these things as we're both children who lost loved ones during the Omnic Crisis," Pharah said.

"Who did you lose?"

"My father," Pharah responded quietly. "He and my mother were both decorated soldiers of Egypt when the Omnic Crisis happened. So naturally, they were recruited by the Egyptian military to stop the Omnics. However, my father died inside an Omnic factory that was rigged to blow up on my mother's orders. She went on to become one of the founding members of Overwatch and then was killed rescuing hostages from Talon."

"Gosh," Tracer sighed.

"But it's ultimately up to you," Pharah said letting go of Tracer's shoulder. "I'm not particularly fond of Omnics either but I won't judge those who sympathize with them."

After Pharah left the dorm, Tracer got herself ready and went to class.

###

" _What is wrong, Tracer?_ " Zenyatta asked before the Omnic History class started. " _You seem troubled by something._ "

"It's one of my roommates," Tracer said wearily. "She wants me to get rid of some things in my room because they relate to Omnics."

" _Does she…not like Omnics?_ "

"She hates them, because they attacked her village and killed her family."

" _Oh, dear,_ " Zenyatta said lowering his head slightly. " _What kinds of things in your room are we talking about?_ "

"Just a couple of movie posters and a statue of Tekhartha Mondatta is all."

" _I understand the Tekhartha Mondatta statue, but how are movie posters related to the Omnics?_ "

"They're movies made by Hal-Fred Glitchbot."

" _Who?_ "

Tracer's eyes widened. "You've never heard of Hal-Fred Glitchbot? He's an Omnic movie director that lives in Hollywood! His most famous movies include _They Came From Beyond The Moon_ and _Six-Gun Killer_."

" _I'm not familiar with either of those films._ "

"Then you should come over to my dorm sometime and watch them with me."

" _That sounds marvelous. Could Genji come along too?_ "

"Of course he can!"

" _What about your roommates? Will they mind?_ "

"I'll work things out with them. It'll be great!"

###

"Absolutely not!" Zarya told Tracer later that night. "I refuse to let Omnic into dorm."

"But it's only for one night," Tracer insisted. "And Zenyatta's a Shambali monk, so he's very kind and understanding."

"I've heard of Shambali monks," Zarya replied. "But I'm not sure I trust them."

"Why? All they want is peace between the humans and Omnics."

"That's what they say, but how do we know they're telling the truth?"

"Tracer isn't just doing this to have fun," Pharah interrupted. "We also have a class assignment from Criminal Psychology that requires us to do something with other people to see if trust can be gained through social interactions or personal connections."

"Uh, yeah, that too," Tracer added hesitantly.

Zarya snorted. "Fine. You can invite Omnic and cyborg into dorm, but count me out."

Then Zarya went into her room before Pharah or Tracer could say another word.

To be continued…


	10. Stage 10: Movie Night Drama!

Stage 10: Movie Night Drama!

Thursday evening, Tracer was attempting to finish homework for Friday when a series of light taps came from the door. Putting away her papers, Tracer straightened out her T-shirt which depicted a blue tentacled monster with one eye underneath the Chronal Accelerator and light-blue booty shorts. Approaching the door quietly, Tracer opened it and saw Zenyatta floating in the hallway while Genji stood behind him looking embarrassed.

"Hey! Come in," Tracer said stepping aside wearing knee-length socks with blue stripes.

" _Upon realizing your room was in the girls_ _'_ _dormitory, Genji got us special permission to enter when he claimed we were here for a group-study session,_ " Zenyatta stated.

"Good idea, Genji," Tracer said scratching the back of her neck. "Wish I'd thought of that."

" _Think nothing of it,_ " Genji said shyly.

The Omnic and cyborg were then introduced to Pharah, who was wearing a shoulder-less blue blouse and skinny black jeans. Then after that, Tracer loaded _They Came From Beyond The Moon_ into the DVD player attached to the big-screen TV. She sat down next to Pharah while Zenyatta and Genji were to her left. The movie told the story about aliens that resembled the creature on Tracer's T-shirt attempting to invade Earth when a group of scientists stationed on a lunar base attempt to stop them. Pharah seemed to get caught up in the action along with Tracer, while Genji and Zenyatta watched it with expressionless faces.

###

"So what did you think?" Tracer asked Zenyatta when the movie was over and they were having a snack break.

" _It was very interesting,_ " Zenyatta replied as Tracer downed a soda can. " _The scientists seemed outmatched by the aliens_ _'_ _superior technology at first, but then they managed to defeat them by being resourceful and working together as a team._ "

"I agree with that," Pharah said munching on a bag of chips. "Plus, you got to know the scientists and relate to them before the aliens show up."

" _But what the scientists used to defeat the aliens seemed unrealistic and way too convenient,_ " Genji observed.

"Actually, Winston told me the science in the movie checks out even though the aliens were made up," Tracer responded.

"Winston? The gorilla genius?" Pharah said sounding surprised. "You know him?"

"We grew up together," Tracer answered.

Everyone fell silent, making Tracer fell awkward.

"It's a bit of a long story," Tracer said nervously. "And it would take too long to go into, so let's watch _Six-Gun Killer_ before Light's Out."

No one seemed to question Tracer as she popped the DVD in. Unlike the previous film, this one was about a cowboy whose family is killed by six bandits and so he sets off to eliminate them one-by-one while collecting their guns as proof.

"The main character kind of looks like McCree," Pharah muttered.

"McCree?" Tracer said turning to Pharah.

"He's the official hall monitor for the school," Pharah responded. "You'll only see him if you're late for class, but I wouldn't recommend it."

"Why?"

"It's rumored that he threatens students with his six-bullet revolver known as Peacekeeper, but I don't know if that's true or not."

After that, the two stayed silent as the movie progressed. But during a loud action-packed gun-shooting scene, Tracer thought she heard a door opening. Glancing over her shoulder, Tracer saw Zarya peeking out of her room. She seemed entranced by the scene, and then tears started rolling down her cheeks.

"Is something wrong, Zarya?" Tracer asked.

Zarya wiped the tears from her eyes and said, "Is nothing."

"Do you want to talk about it? We could pause the movie if you want."

"No, I'm fine," Zarya said, and slammed the door shut.

A heavy cloud hung over the group as the movie wrapped up. Then afterwards, Zenyatta and Genji got up and left while Tracer escorted them to the door.

" _I hope your roommate is all right,_ " Zenyatta said quietly. " _Though I was caught up in the movie_ _'_ _s engaging story, I couldn_ _'_ _t help but overhear your conversation with her._ "

Tracer looked surprised. "You must have really good hearing."

" _Omnics are known to pick up sounds that most people wouldn_ _'_ _t normally hear,_ " Zenyatta replied. " _If there's anything I can do to help, let me know._ "

"Yeah, I'm not sure," Tracer said shaking her head. "I thought if she interacted with you, she'd realize that not all Omnics are bad. But I guess her hatred of them is stronger than I thought."

" _Maybe you should talk to Doctor Ziegler about this problem_ ," Genji suggested.

"You mean Mercy?" Pharah said cautiously.

" _Yes, that_ _'_ _s her call sign,_ " Genji replied.

"How did you know her real name?" Pharah asked.

" _She saved me when I was near death, and made me what I am now,_ " Genji said cryptically. " _I_ _'_ _ve heard that she_ _'_ _s not only the school nurse but also a counselor._ "

"That is correct," Pharah answered and turned to Tracer. "I'll show you where her office is tomorrow around lunch. We could talk to her then."

"Okay, sure," Tracer agreed and looked at Zenyatta and Genji. "Did you both enjoy the movies despite the drama that ensued?"

" _They were highly entertaining,_ " Zenyatta nodded. " _I_ _'_ _ll be sure to watch more Hal-Fred Glitchbot movies when I can._ "

" _I wasn_ _'_ _t particularly found of the first one, but the second one was really good,_ " Genji said. " _The action scenes were amazing, like a martial arts movie but with guns, and I found myself relating to the main character_ _'_ _s plight for revenge._ "

"In what way?" Tracer wondered.

Genji hesitated to answer. " _We should probably get back to our dorm, Master. Light_ _'_ _s Out is in ten minutes._ "

" _You_ _'_ _re right, Genji,_ " Zenyatta responded. " _We should probably go. I had a good time, though._ "

"Same here!" Tracer smiled and waved as Zenyatta and Genji walked down the hall.

###

Inside a small office that was made of white-colored metal, Tracer was sitting across from a woman who was typing things on a holographic computer screen. She had a fine figure with a kind-looking face, medium blonde hair that was tied up in a ponytail, wearing a white lab-coat over an orange turtleneck and tan slacks. On the wall behind her was a framed picture depicting several members of Overwatch including herself, a younger version of Soldier: 76, Torbjörn, Reinhardt, and a few other individuals Tracer didn't recognize. One was a tall brooding man wearing a black hood, another resembled Ana only she was much younger and wearing a blue military uniform, and below her stood a little girl with braids that were shaped like Pharah's.

"Now what seems to be the trouble?" the woman asked looking up from the computer screen.

"Well, Mercy, I'm concerned about one of my roommates," Tracer began. "Her name's Zarya, and she demanded that I remove some things from my room because they disturbed her."

"In what way?" Mercy asked taking down notes.

"They were posters depicting movies made by Hal-Fred Glitchbot and a statue of Tekhartha Mondatta. Because these items were related to Omnics which she hates, Zarya wanted me to get rid of them but I refused. So then I invited an Omnic friend of mine named Zenyatta and his cyborg roommate Genji up to the dorm for a movie night—

"Oh, I know those two!" Mercy interrupted. "I'm glad you've made friends with them — anyway, continue."

"Zarya was initially against this, but then she complied reluctantly and stayed in her room all night while the rest of us were watching the movies. Apart from Zenyatta and Genji, the only other person there was Pharah, who's my other roommate. She thinks I should've gotten rid of the Omnic things because of Zarya's troubling past regarding the Omnics attacking her home and her parents being killed."

"Ah, yes," Mercy noted. "You're not the first roommate to complain about Zarya. Last year she and Pharah had a roommate who had a robotic arm. This roommate didn't feel comfortable around Zarya due to false accusations of being affiliated with the Omnics and so she transferred to a different dorm. Do you wish to do the same?"

"Not really," Tracer said. "I like Pharah, and I want to be friends with Zarya too. It's just that I think she needs help, but isn't reaching out for it."

"That is true," Mercy agreed. "At every required mental and physical checkup, she's physically healthy but seems mentally disturbed."

"Then what can I do to help?"

"Don't take her words personally, be kind to her, and understand where she's coming from," Mercy stated. "Try talking to her about your thoughts on Omnics and see if you two can come to some kind of compromise. If you can't, then you might have to transfer to another dorm. The deadline for dorm transferals is coming up, so chose quickly and wisely."

To be continued…


	11. Stage 11: Vanishing Point!

Stage 11: Vanishing Point!

That weekend, Tracer sneaked into Zarya's room and found her schedule. It turned out she did early morning power walks, followed by weightlifting around noon, and then running around the school track in the early evening. These activities varied day-to-day depending on her classes and the amount of homework she had, but since it was the first week of school there was a lot of time on her hands.

After dinner, Tracer made her way to the school track and found Zarya running along it. Tracer then quickly changed into her gym clothes in one of the locker-rooms, but kept the brown hoodie on to hide the Chronal Accelerator, and ran out onto the track. Using the Chronal Accelerator, Tracer was able to catch up to Zarya and ran fast in order to keep up with Zarya's pacing.

"Hey! Zarya!" Tracer shouted, though her voice came out in short bursts.

"What?" Zarya said, looking surprised. "How did you catch up so quickly?"

Remembering what Pharah said about not revealing her ability to just anyone, Tracer replied, "It's my little secret."

Zarya huffed and ran faster. So Tracer in turn Blinked forward, running alongside Zarya once more. This annoyed Zarya so she kept running, but Tracer kept Blinking with pauses in between. Eventually Zarya stopped, forcing Tracer to halt as well.

"You must be using something," Zarya said turning to face Tracer. "No one has ever kept up with me before."

"First time for everything," Tracer panted. "The reason I came here was to talk."

"About what?" Zarya asked.

"Your demand that I remove things from my room that are Omnic-related, and what happened Thursday night."

"If that's all, then I'm leaving," Zarya replied and started to walk away.

Tracer Blinked ahead and appeared right in front of Zarya. "Wait a minute, I wasn't done yet!"

"Get out of my way!" Zarya said, and pushed Tracer to the ground.

The force from Zarya's hands knocked Tracer back so hard that she fell on her rear-end. But what concerned Tracer more was the sound of metallic crunching.

"Oh, no," Tracer muttered as she unzipped her hoodie, revealing the Chronal Accelerator.

"What is that?" Zarya demanded.

"My Chronal Accelerator," Tracer said, noticing the blue disk on her chest flashing on and off. "It's failing! Go get Winston!"

"Why?"

"Just do it!" Tracer snapped.

"Okay, okay, I'll get him."

When Zarya left, Tracer started crying as her body started disappearing and reappearing every few seconds. She took off her hoodie, which took a lot longer as her hands weren't always there, and looked back. There were a few pieces of metal lying where she had fallen, and there were sparks flying from the back of her Chronal Accelerator.

 _Maybe I should take it off to be safe, but if I did that I'll vanish for sure,_ Tracer thought as she nervously glanced at the sparks.

Her hoodie was partially burned on the inside, but not completely damaged. Holding onto it, Tracer curled up into a ball and waited. But as the seconds ticked by, the blue disk grew more faint and her body was slowly becoming transparent.

"It's all Zarya's fault!" Tracer said to herself. "I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't get Winston and went back to the dorm instead."

"Lena!"

Upon hearing her real name, Tracer looked to her left and saw Winston bounding across the track field on his gorilla hands and feet while Zarya ran alongside.

"Thank goodness you're still here," Winston said as he approached Tracer. "There's still time to prevent you from disappearing."

"Please hurry, Winston," Tracer said hugging the hoodie close to her chest. "I don't want to leave again."

"Just stay calm and let me access the damage," Winston replied and examined the Chronal Accelerator from back to front.

"Is there anything I can do?" Zarya wondered, though her voice was much quieter than before.

"Go back to my room," Winston said. "There's a white briefcase that has tools inside it that'll help me repair the Chronal Accelerator, but be quick! We don't have much time!"

Without hesitation, Zarya ran back the way Winston came.

"It's going to be all right," Winston said stroking Tracer's back though it was partially see-through. "Concentrate on being in the present, and no other time."

"I'll try," Tracer said and closed her eyes.

###

By the time Zarya got back, Tracer had almost vanished except for the Chronal Accelerator which seemed to hover midair. Immediately, Winston took the briefcase from Zarya and opened it. He took out a device that resembled a pen and pointed it at the back of the Chronal Accelerator. A blue light shone on the damaged parts, causing Winston to sigh and take out two more devices which looked like a staple-gun and a screwdriver made out of rubber. While Zarya watched out of curiosity, Winston worked diligently on the Chronal Accelerator's back part while the blue disk on the front grew fainter. Then a few moments later, the blue disk shone brightly again and Tracer miraculously became solid.

"That should keep you here temporarily," Winston said wiping his brow slightly. "But I'll need to do a full repair so you don't vanish permanently."

"Should I come over to your dorm, then?" Tracer asked as she unsteadily got up.

"Not tonight," Winston responded as he put away the tools. "Anytime tomorrow will do."

"Okay," Tracer said slowly.

Winston walked past Zarya and said, "Keep an eye on her for the next twelve hours. If she starts vanishing, let me know."

" _Da,_ " Zarya nodded.

After Winston left, Tracer attempted to walk away from Zarya but her footing was uneven. She would've fallen if Zarya didn't catch her on time and the two made their way back to the dorm. When they got back, Pharah was in her room listening to loud music so she didn't hear them come in.

"You will sleep in my room tonight," Zarya said and helped the weary Tracer into her quilted bed. "I will sleep on floor."

"But isn't that uncomfortable?" Tracer said shivering slightly under the quilt.

"I'm used to it," Zarya replied. "Slept on floor all the time back in village."

"I see," Tracer noted, shaking more violently than before.

Zarya noticed and felt Tracer's forehead. "Are you okay? You don't look well."

"It's all right," Tracer assured. "I'm just Timesick, is all."

"Timesick?"

"Happens whenever I almost vanish. Makes me feel nauseous and weary."

"Do you need to go to bathroom?"

"No, I'm not that sick. It'll pass once I fall asleep."

"Very well." Zarya stretched and lay down on the floor beside her bed. "I'm here if you need me."

"Thanks," Tracer whispered and passed out.

To be continued…


	12. Stage 12: Tensions and Time Travel!

Stage 12: Tensions and Time Travel!

The next day, Tracer went to Winston's dorm with Zarya accompanying her.

"You didn't have to come," Tracer muttered as the two made their way upstairs.

"I want to assure Winston you did not vanish last night," Zarya answered.

"I'm sure me standing here will convince him enough," Tracer responded and knocked on the door which was labeled 'Primal Dragon'.

Instead of Winston, the one who answered the door was Hanzo. He was wearing nothing but a white towel wrapped around his waist, which made Tracer blush slightly though Zarya didn't seem to be bothered.

"What do you want?" Hanzo asked, attempting to hide the irritation in his voice.

"Is Winston around?" Tracer said, trying to keep eye-contact with Hanzo.

"Probably," Hanzo replied and looked over his shoulder. "Hey, Banana Breath!"

"What did you call me?" Winston said, charging out of a room without any clothes on.

When he noticed Tracer and Zarya standing outside, he ducked behind a couch. "Why didn't you tell me we had visitors, Hanzo?"

"I was just about to," Hanzo said nonchalantly. "And why are you so embarrassed about not wearing anything? You're an ape, aren't you?"

"I'm not an ape!" Winston snapped. "I may look like one on the outside, but I'm a human scientist at heart."

"Whatever," Hanzo said walking toward a metal door that was across from the front one. "I'll be heading off to archery practice once I'm fully dressed."

The metal door slid open, revealing a room that had Japanese scrolls hanging from the ceiling, a large bow and metal-tipped arrows hanging in a metallic sling were mounted on one wall, and there was a framed photograph of a young boy with spiky black hair wearing a green tunic on a wooden desk. Hanzo stepped inside and the door closed automatically behind him. Meanwhile, Winston crawled over to another metal door that was perpendicular to Hanzo's and there were sounds of shuffling and grunts. After a few minutes, Winston stepped out again wearing a white dress-shirt with the Overwatch logo on the breast-pocket and black pants.

"Sorry about that," Winston apologized as he put on his black-framed glasses. "I see that you didn't vanish during the night, Lena."

"Yes, um, are you sure it's okay to say my real name with Hanzo nearby?" Tracer asked quietly.

"Oh, he won't tell anyone," Winston said dismissively. "He may seem like a jerk, but he's a man of honor."

"Doesn't seem that way," Tracer said folding her arms. "You should've seen how he treated Genji on the first day of school."

"Genji!" Hanzo cried, appearing out of his room wearing a dark-blue robe with a black apron-like cloth around his waist. A leather glove was on one hand while a large wooden bow and a sling of arrows were strapped to his back. "Who said that name?"

"I did," Tracer said blatantly.

Hanzo approached Tracer and glared down at her. "How do you know Genji?"

"He helped me during the Entrance Exam, then we were officially introduced by Zenyatta before Class Sorting, and now we're friends," Tracer said meeting Hanzo's gaze.

"Has he told you what happened to him?" Hanzo wondered.

Cautiously, Tracer responded, "No, he hasn't."

"Then it should stay that way," replied Hanzo, and he left the dorm.

"He is bear with sore head," Zarya noted once the front door closed.

"Tell me about it," Tracer muttered. "How can you stand living with him, Winston?"

"He's very bitter about something that happened in his recent past," Winston said. "It has something to do with Genji, but he won't say anything."

"The same is true from Genji's end," Tracer said. "I've tried to speak to him about his past several times, but he always clams up and changes the subject. All I know is that he was near death till Mercy showed up and gave him his current form. Not sure what that means, though."

"Perhaps Genji was in bad accident," Zarya suggested.

"Which then forced Mercy to give him a cyborg body," Tracer added. "But that doesn't explain his connection to Hanzo."

Winston rubbed his furry chin and then said, "Well, these mysteries can wait. In the meantime, we should get the Chronal Accelerator repaired."

"Right," Tracer agreed and followed Winston into a third door that was tucked at the back of a small hallway.

Inside, the room was a large workshop with a couple metal tables, a computer with Athena's logo on it, and a glass tube connected to wires that were attached to the ceiling.

"You know the drill, Lena," Winston said. "Hopefully, this won't take long."

"If you say so," Tracer said and removed the Chronal Accelerator from her chest.

After giving it to Winston, Tracer stepped into the glass tube which lit up in blue lights as she sat down. Zarya watched while Winston took the Chronal Accelerator to one of the metal tables where the white briefcase was.

"What is tube for?" Zarya wondered out loud.

"It's called the Time Capsule," Winston explained. "It prevents Lena from disappearing into the time-stream while I fix the Chronal Accelerator."

"So she is time-traveler?"

"More or less," Tracer said, letting out a deep sigh. "My real name is Lena Oxton, and I was originally born in Britain. I had a mother who died of birth complications and a father who was a test-pilot for the Royal Air Force. During the Omnic Crisis, he was hired to test a plane called the _Slipstream_ that contained an engine which could literally teleport the aircraft. This engine was designed by a brilliant scientist named Doctor Winston, who was also a friend of my father's. He was just about to take off when I, a curious little girl of five, snuck onboard. By the time he noticed me, we were already airborne.

"Then the plane's engine started to malfunction, forcing my father to land. But as we got close to the ground, the engine exploded causing strange particles to hit me. That was the last time I saw my father as I found myself drifting through time. Eventually, I came back to the present where I found out that not only had the plane crashed killing my father in the process but also Doctor Winston was now stationed on the moon raising intelligent gorillas. It was here that I met the ape working at that desk over there and we quickly bonded."

Winston nodded upon hearing Tracer, making Zarya's eyes widen slightly.

"Unfortunately, Doctor Winston discovered that my cells had become desynchronized from the natural flow of time after being exposed to the _Slipstream_ engine's energy when it exploded," Tracer continued. "He called this condition Chronal Dissociation, and worked diligently on a cure while I kept disappearing and reappearing at random. His research eventually led him to create the Chronal Accelerator which keeps me in the present while also allowing me to move backwards or forwards in time a few meters per use. By the time Doctor Winston put it on me, the intelligent apes he was raising started a revolt."

"I wasn't part of it," Winston said taking out several tools from the briefcase. "Doctor Winston had raised me separately from the other apes because he saw a lot of potential even though I was only an infant."

Tracer nodded in agreement. "While the other scientists tried to subdue the gorillas as best they could, Doctor Winston placed me and the young ape into an escape pod that crash-landed on Earth. We were both unscathed and later found by Soldier: 76. He told us that Doctor Winston had perished in the gorilla uprising and decided to adopt me and the young ape he named 'Winston' as his own children."

"I see," Zarya muttered.

To be continued…


	13. Stage 13: Compromise and Understanding!

Stage 13: Compromise and Understanding!

After a long pause, Zarya said, "Since you told me backstory, is fair I should tell you mine."

"If you wish to," Tracer said, and readjusted her seating.

"Aleksandra Zaryanova is real name," Zarya stated. "I was born in Siberian village with two parents and several brothers. We were all very happy until Omnics showed up. There were Omnium factories further south, so when God Programs activated the Omnics attacked neighboring villages including mine. My people managed to beat back Omnics and shut down factories without Overwatch help, but at cost. Many homes were destroyed, and several people died fighting. Among the casualties were my parents and brothers, while I had been sent to refugee camp for safety.

"So I vowed then to become strong and protect people. Focusing on weights and bodybuilding, I quickly became recognized athlete. There was competition to determine competitor for Olympic Games, but I declined in favor of invitation to attend Overwatch High School instead. I don't regret decision and am constantly reminded of what I lost by this tattoo on my arm," Zarya said and pointed to the number '512'. "This number is address of home before it was destroyed. The reason I have tattoo is so I never forget what Omnics did to me and strive to prevent others from suffering like I did."

Once she was done, Zarya briefly wiped her eyes while Tracer was wide-eyed. The two were quiet while Winston continued working on the Chronal Accelerator.

Then Tracer sniffed and said, "Gosh. I'm so sorry, Zarya. I didn't know."

"Of course not," Zarya remarked. "You didn't ask."

"Pharah told me a bit about your situation, but I had no idea it was that bad," Tracer responded. "If it'll make you feel better, I'll take down my things that are related to Omnics and not invite Zenyatta over to the dorm."

Zarya paused and shook her head. "You don't have to."

"What?" Tracer exclaimed.

"I feel guilty for breaking Chronal thing, because it was important to you," Zarya said. "So you're welcome to keep things and invite Omnic over, but don't include me in activities that involve him or try to change my thoughts on Omnics."

"Fair enough," Tracer shrugged. "I'm sorry for trying to make you hang out with us Thursday."

"And I apologize for last night," Zarya said nervously. "Want to get lunch after this?"

"Sure!" Tracer responded excitedly.

Winston cracked a hidden smile while the girls weren't looking, and occasionally glanced at a photograph of a young man with short brown hair wearing a lab-coat and dark-framed glasses.

###

Later, Tracer left Winston's dorm wearing the newly repaired Chronal Accelerator underneath a blue hoodie along with Zarya. They went to the _Watering Hole_ cafeteria, and met up at the table Tracer liked. While Tracer had ordered fish and chips with a cold soda, Zarya had a plate containing boiled chicken and a bottle of water. At first, neither spoke then Pharah suddenly appeared holding a tray with the same fried patties and salad.

"There you are!" Pharah said taking a seat before Tracer asked. "I've been looking all over for you two. I heard you come in last night, and then you left before I got up. Did something happen that I should know?"

"Well, sort of," Tracer said taking a sip from her soda.

"Don't tell me you picked a fight with her," Pharah said turning to Zarya.

"I did no such thing," Zarya responded, but a brief glare from Tracer made her sigh. "All right, fine, we'll tell you whole story."

Then Tracer and Zarya took turns telling Pharah about the Chronal Accelerator being damaged and Tracer's near disappearance. Though their views on the events clashed slightly, they were mostly in agreement. Pharah listened to both sides very attentively and only asked questions when there were pauses.

After the two girls finished talking, Pharah said, "Sounds like you guys had quite an eventful evening and morning. But why did you wait to tell me until now? I could've helped, you know."

"I was too embarrassed to tell you," Zarya admitted. "Because I feared you would think it was my fault like you did just now."

"It doesn't matter whose fault it is," Tracer interrupted as she picked up a fried fish. "We were both in the wrong and now we've resolved our differences. Now let's eat so this food doesn't go to waste."

So Pharah and Zarya followed Tracer's example and ate their respective foods.

"By the way, Pharah," Tracer said pointing to the meat paddies. "What are those?"

"Falafels," Pharah answered. "Want to try one?"

"Maybe a little bite," Tracer said curling her pointer finger and thumb.

Pharah broke off a small piece and gave it to Tracer. She nibbled on the piece, and quickly swallowed it whole.

"I would assume you liked it," Pharah wondered.

"Yeah," Tracer replied licking her mouth. "Ever had a fish and chip, luv?"

"Um, no," Pharah said shaking her head.

"Then have some of mine," Tracer said giving Pharah one of the smaller fish fillets. "They're really tasty."

"Does anyone want some boiled chicken before I finish it?" Zarya asked.

Guiltily, Tracer and Pharah accepted pieces of the chicken to their plates. While Pharah wasn't too fond of the fish, Tracer had her try it with gravy which seemed to help. The boiled chicken, on the other hand, wasn't popular with either Tracer or Pharah.

"I think they overcooked it," Pharah thought. "Though I don't know whether to blame the human chefs or the Omnic ones."

"There are Omnic chefs here?" Tracer asked.

"Of course," Pharah said. "When the school was transferred here, the Numbani mayor required that Overwatch hire some Omnic staff to promote fairness since the city prides itself on equality between humans and Omnics."

"Is reason I'm not too fond of location change," Zarya said.

"Couldn't agree with you more, mate," Junkrat said, passing by the table carrying a bag of jerky in one hand and an energy drink in the other.

"Who was he?" Zarya asked, watching Junkrat leave.

"Junkrat," Tracer muttered irritably. "He's a devilish fiend who likes ticking people off."

"His appearance reminds me of a Junker," Pharah noted.

"Junker?" Tracer looked from Junkrat to Pharah.

"They're the survivors of a fusion core explosion that occurred in the Australian Outback shortly after the Omnic Crisis ended," Pharah said continuing to eat her falafels. "At the time, Overwatch had decided to place most of the Omnics that were back to normal in the Outback which greatly upset the local residents."

"I can see why," Zarya responded. "Then did residents destroy fusion core out of frustration?"

"Basically," replied Pharah. "But the resulting explosion caused the Outback to become a radioactive wasteland with no living Omnics inside. The few humans who survived became lawless savages that scavenged the area for metal and used it as a form of trade, hence why they are called 'Junkers.'"

Zarya finished her boiled chicken and said though a full mouth, "I've seen Roadhog collect metal pieces when he thinks no one's looking. Maybe he's Junker."

"Roadhog?" Tracer looked up while chewing on a french fry.

"He's the school janitor," Pharah said casually. "You've probably seen him around. He wears a pig-faced mask and is very large in size."

"Oh," Tracer shuttered. "I ran into him after Class Sorting was over. Pretty intimidating fellow."

"Agreed," Pharah nodded.

To be continued…


	14. Stage 14: Sparring with a Rat!

Stage 14: Sparring with a Rat!

A month later, Tracer had managed to get along well with Pharah and Zarya. She explained things to Zenyatta with Zarya's permission, and he seemed to understand perfectly. But with each passing Hal-Fred Glitchbot movie night which kept occurring every Thursday, Tracer saw Zarya peek out of her dorm for longer periods of time.

 _Maybe she'll warm up and sit with us someday,_ Tracer hoped.

"Tracer!" Reinhardt barked.

"Um, yes?" Tracer said sheepishly as everyone looked at her.

"If you are done daydreaming, I'd like your full attention," Reinhardt said folding his huge arms.

"Sorry," Tracer apologized, standing straight.

Satisfied, Reinhardt nodded. "Now that we've covered some basic fighting moves, I will assign each of you a sparring partner that is close to how you've been practicing thus far. Your task for the next few weeks will be to practice together until you're both able to best each other. Any questions? Speak now or wait till after class."

D. Va attempted to raise her hand, but a brief glare from Reinhardt made her lower it. Ever since the first day, D. Va made a habit of asking useless or obvious questions regarding class rules and activities. So after a while, Reinhardt got irritated whenever D. Va raised her hand.

"Is this a legitimate question, D. Va?" Reinhardt asked.

"Why can't we pick our own sparring partner?" D. Va said nervously. "It doesn't seem fair for you to decide how good we are when I think we're more than capable of deciding that for ourselves at this point."

" _Ja_ , but you're still beginners," Reinhardt said calmly. "Tell me: would it be more beneficial to spare with someone who's on the same level as you or an opponent who isn't?"

"What do you mean?" D. Va asked.

"A stronger opponent, for example, or a weaker one," Reinhardt answered.

"How can you tell them apart?"

"You can't. Not until you fight them, that is. But I am a decorated soldier. I've seen how each of you fight individually, and can automatically tell how strong you are. Therefore, it would seem in my best interest as well as yours to decide sparring partners for you instead of letting you decide for yourself. Otherwise you might end up with a weaker opponent and not learn anything, or one you can't hope to overcome. Eventually, we will talk about dealing with stronger opponents. For now, though, you need to grow with your same-leveled peers. Does that make sense, D. Va?"

"I guess," D. Va sighed, glancing over at Tracer briefly.

 _She must think I'm going to be her sparring partner,_ Tracer thought. _It would make sense considering we're both not very strong._

But when Reinhardt announced the sparring pairs, D. Va and Tracer were both surprised. While D. Va was paired with Lúcio, a dark-skinned boy with dreadlocks tied into a long ponytail, Tracer was assigned to be Junkrat's sparring partner. Neither of them looked happy when they met to spar.

"Just my luck to get stuck with you, Omnic lover," Junkrat said irritably.

"Spare me the trash talk," Tracer said getting into a fighting stance. "Now let's fight!"

"Bring it on, limey tart!" Junkrat got into a similar stance and made a taunting gesture.

Angered, Tracer attacked with her fist. But Junkrat blocked it with his hand while grinning.

"Is that the best you've got?" Junkrat mocked. "I barely felt a thing."

Tracer growled and attempted to use her other hand to punch Junkrat. He blocked it too, and so Tracer resorted to kicking his feet to trip him. His feet didn't budge, and he pushed her down onto the floor. She tried to move her hands, but he pinned them underneath his.

"What're you going to do now, wench?" Junkrat taunted.

"This," Tracr replied and used her knee to kick Junkrat in the chest.

He fell backwards, allowing Tracer to get up. She glanced at the Chronal Accelerator's back part and was relieved to see nothing broken.

 _Thanks for the extra metal plating, Winston,_ Tracer sighed.

Before Junkrat had the chance to stand, Tracer put a foot on his chest and grabbed his wrists with one hand.

"Now be a gentlemen and admit defeat," Tracer said leaning down toward Junkrat's face.

Junkrat chuckled. "I may be a Junker, but I'm certainly not a gentlemen."

Then Junkrat threw something that was clenched in one of his hands. Tracer immediately reacted by activating the Chronal Accelerator to move backwards in time till she was just kicking Junkrat off of her. As she did so, Tracer knelt on top of him and grabbed both of his wrists till he dropped a small hand-grenade from one of them.

"Oi, what do we have here?" Tracer said, noticing the hand-grenade. "Thought you could sneak a weapon into class, eh? Would be a shame if I called Reinhardt over."

"You wouldn't dare!" Junkrat exclaimed.

"Excellent maneuvering, Tracer," Reinhardt said passing by the two. "Keep up the good work."

When he was gone, Tracer got off Junkrat allowing him to quickly put away the hand-grenade.

"It says in the student handbook that weapons aren't allowed in classrooms unless the teacher permits them for a lesson," Tracer said. "Did you know that?"

"Yeah, but I don't care," Junkrat muttered. "How'd you know I was carrying a grenade in one of my hands?"

"Lucky guess," Tracer shrugged. "Now we may have had a rough start, but I want to pass this class just as much as you do. So if you agree to not cheat in future spars, then I won't tell Reinhardt about you bringing weapons to class. Sound like a deal?"

Tracer held out her hand to shake, which Junkrat looked at in disgust. He glanced over at Reinhardt, who was monitoring other pairings including D. Va and Lúcio who didn't seem to be doing so well. Then he gritted his teeth and shook Tracer's hand.

"Fine," Junkrat grumbled. "You got me this time, but I'll be back with a vengeance tomorrow _without_ using weapons."

"Sounds good," Tracer said, pulling off a fake smile.

To be continued…


	15. Stage 15: Family Business!

Stage 15: Family Business!

" _You blackmailed Junkrat?_ " Genji exclaimed while he and Tracer were doing group discussions in Hero Ethics. " _I never really expected you to be that kind of person._ "

"It was the only way I could get the upper-hand on Junkrat without resorting to tattling on him," Tracer explained.

" _If he_ _'_ _s breaking school rules, then you should have told Reinhardt,_ " Genji said sternly. " _That_ _'_ _s being sensible, not_ _'_ _tattling_ _'_ _as you put it._ "

" _Hey, you!_ " Soldier: 76 snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Genji. " _Less small-talk, more discussion on the article regarding the King_ _'_ _s Row protests!_ "

" _Sorry, sir,_ " Genji said bowing his head politely, though he sounded anxious. When Soldier: 76 looked away, Genji whispered to Tracer, " _That man reminds me of my father._ "

"Your father?" Tracer said sounding surprised. "In what way?"

" _He was a strict tyrant who was constantly disciplining me and my brother,_ " Genji answered bitterly. " _Always preparing us to take over the family business._ "

"What sort of business?"

" _For generations, my family…made deals with certain people to benefit ourselves as well as the ones who hired us,_ " replied Genji.

"Like a law firm?" Tracer suggested.

" _In a way,_ " Genji nodded. " _Now let's get back to this article on the King's Row protests and figure out the ethics of both sides._ "

"Oh, right," Tracer said and reluctantly finished reading the printed article.

###

Later that night, Tracer decided to take a break from her homework and surf the web on a desktop computer with Athena's logo that Winston gave her in commemoration of getting into Overwatch High School. After checking the news and Hal-Fred Glitchbot's official website for any upcoming movies, Tracer thought back to when she first met Genji and how the name 'Shimada' sounded familiar. She typed it into the search engine but hesitated before pressing the Enter key.

"If I did this, I'd be betraying Genji's trust," Tracer muttered to herself. "But he's clearly troubled by something, and I want to know what it is so I can help him. He is a friend, after all."

So Tracer took a deep breath and pressed the button. What came up was a series of links to news articles that were written in Japanese though some were in English. Clicking on a link to an article from _The Guardian_ , Britain's most trusted newspaper, she learned that a year ago there was a massive explosion in Hanamura, Japan. Though many people believed it to be the work of Talon, there were some who speculated the Shimada Clan were somehow involved. Curious, Tracer looked up the Shimada Clan and came up with a BBC television interview that had been posted several months ago.

" _Tell me, Mister D, what is your affiliation with the Shimada Clan?_ " The British news anchor asked a man who sat across from him.

The man, who was completely in shadow, responded in a voice that sounded distorted. " _I was a former member of the Shimada Clan for many years, until I lost someone close to me which led to my eventual defection from the group._ "

" _I see,_ " the anchor said scratching his nose slightly. " _So what can you tell us about the Shimada Clan? We know they're a very influential and notorious organization based on the large number of journalists that have turned up dead trying to investigate them. Are they associated with Talon in any way or not?_ "

" _To answer your first question, the Shimada Clan were originally a group of assassins that served various lords during the Feudal Era of Japan. But as their influence grew over the centuries, they became a well-established criminal organization that amassed lots of money through illegal trade in weapons and drugs. They established a main headquarters in Hanamura, Japan, and carried all their activities through there. Then regarding your second question, they are_ not _associated with Talon whatsoever._ "

" _Fascinating. How has this group not been uncovered before?_ "

" _The Shimada Empire has its hands on every news and media outlet in Japan. So if someone were to try investigating their operations or individual members, they would have the journalist eliminated or the article/news story taken down immediately. But when it came to foreign journalists, those who were from Western countries, we would usually try to bribe them into not publishing anything about us before resorting to killing them if they didn't cooperate._ "

" _And what makes you think I or my colleagues won't suffer the same fate as those who've tried to uncover the Shimada Clan before?_ "

" _Because since I've defected, the Clan has fallen apart due to its leader and sole heir suddenly vanishing off the face of the Earth._ "

" _How do you know this is true?_ "

The man hesitated. " _I have friends who are affiliates of the Shimada Clan that have told me this shortly after I left._ "

" _Quite the coincidence, isn't it? The fact that you left the Shimada Clan just before the official leader did?_ "

" _I suppose it is._ "

" _So was the clan run by a single family or a conglomerate of families?_ "

" _It was one family, the Shimadas, which the Clan takes its name from. They ruled through the patriarchal line, so every heir was always the first-born son of the previous leader. Though if the first-born son died or was banished from the Clan, then the second-born son would take his place as the official leader._ "

" _In regards to the current leader, was he a first-born son or a second-born?_ "

" _He was a first-born, and the youngest to be inducted into the role of leadership over the whole Shimada Clan._ "

" _Did something happen to lead up to that?_ "

" _His father, the previous leader, had suddenly fallen ill and died. This forced the oldest Clan members to elect him, though he was a mere boy of sixteen, as the new leader._ "

" _Sounds like a tough responsibility for someone that young. Were you one of the members who elected him?_ "

" _No, I was only a lower hit-man. You had to be a Clan advisor or a long-time hit-man to have that kind of privilege._ "

" _Do you have any idea why this young leader left the Clan?_ "

" _I would suspect he just couldn't handle the burden of running such a large organization by himself with no one to support him._ "

" _Did he have any other relatives besides his father that could've taken over the Clan?_ "

" _He did have a younger brother, though I'm not sure what happened to him. He was in Hanamura when the explosion occurred, but was never seen again after that._ "

" _Is it possible that he got caught in the explosion and died?_ "

" _More than likely,_ " the man said, though Tracer heard faint sniffling noises.

" _Well, that's about all the time we have for this interview. Thank you for coming here, Mister D, and enlightening us on the mysterious Shimada Clan that has been talked about for centuries but never revealed!_ "

" _Don't mention it._ "

Tracer gasped and paused the video. _That's the exact same thing that Genji said to me during our first Hal-Fred Glitchbot movie night! Could he be Mister D?_

To be continued…


	16. Stage 16: Uncovering the Truth!

Stage 16: Uncovering the Truth!

"Hey, Genji," Tracer said sitting down next to him in Weapons 101.

" _What is it?_ " Genji asked.

"Have you ever been to…London before?" Tracer wondered, trying to sound casual.

" _Not at all,_ " replied Genji. " _Why do you ask?_ "

"I was just wondering," Tracer said waving her hand dismissively.

Then Soldier: 76 walked in and ordered everyone to rise.

Seeing no sitters, Soldier: 76 nodded in approval. " _At ease, soldiers!_ "

The class breathed a sigh of relief and sat down.

" _Before we get started, I'd like to make an important announcement,_ " Soldier: 76 said and pulled up an image of a human girl and a male Omnic doing a dance of some kind. " _For this year's Unity Day, we will be hosting our school's annual Payload Competition right here in Numbani!_ "

Upon hearing that, the older students cheered while Tracer and Genji were a little surprised.

" _In case you don't know, the Payload Competition is a school-wide event where two teams of six battle against one another while escorting an item of importance from one point to another in a confined area. The designated map this year is the whole city of Numbani, with the mayor's permission, and with it there'll be some changes to the rules. Instead of merely escorting the Payload, the teams will have to capture certain points along the map and defend them accordingly. For more information, check out the school's main website and sign up if you're interested. But keep in mind there's only room for twelve people, so don't dawdle!_ "

"Sounds like fun," Tracer said to Genji as Soldier: 76 passed out quizzes for Chapter Four of the Weapons Manuel. "I'm game if you are."

" _I think I'll pass,_ " Genji said solemnly.

"Why?" Tracer frowned. "You'd do great with that cyborg body of yours."

" _This body was designed to keep me alive, not to fight with,_ " Genji murmured.

"All right, I won't push you," Tracer responded and turned her attention to the quiz.

###

"Is something wrong, Tracer?" Pharah asked while the two were eating lunch.

"I'm really worried about Genji," Tracer said anxiously. "And I feel bad enough for looking into his family history."

"Did you find anything of interest?" Pharah said dipping a falafel into a plate of sauce.

"A lot, actually, but I'm not sure what to make of it," Tracer replied. "If I told Genji what I know, he might not trust me anymore."

"Then talk to Hanzo instead," Pharah suggested. "He's clearly involved with Genji, based on what you've told me."

"That's not a bad idea," Tracer responded nervously. "The only problem is I don't know Hanzo's schedule."

"Ask Winston. He might know since they're both roommates."

"Yeah, though I'm not sure if I should go through with this."

"Genji's your friend, so I think you're justified if you think this will help him."

"Thanks, Pharah," Tracer said taking hold of Pharah's hands. "You're a good egg."

"Um, no problem," Pharah said looking astray. "I'm just trying to be a good roommate."

"Maybe after I sort things out with Genji, we could share origin stories together," Tracer offered.

"Sure," Pharah nodded reluctantly. "We can do that."

###

"Hanzo!" Tracer shouted to a lone figure that stood in the middle of the school track which resembled a football field.

In response, the figure fired an arrow from a wooden bow which hit a target that stood several meters away. He made an audible groan and turned to face Tracer as she approached him. It was indeed Hanzo, wearing the same black and blue robes he wore Sunday morning.

"Is now a good time to talk?" asked Tracer, who was intimidated by his piercing glare.

"Make it quick," Hanzo said as he turned away from Tracer. "You caught me in the middle of archery practice."

Tracer watched Hanzo load another arrow into the bowstring and said, "Are you good at it?"

"I should like to think so," Hanzo said, aiming the bow at the target and releasing the bowstring.

The arrow hit the center dot of the target perfectly, making Tracer instinctively clap.

"Good shot," Tracer said, and examined the target. "Wonder where the first arrow went."

"Thanks to you, I lost focus," Hanzo answered, pointing to an object that was sticking out of the ground beyond the target. "And I've never missed a target."

"I'm sure it's happened to you before," Tracer said, Blinking herself down the field to retrieve the arrow. Once in possession of it, she Blinked back and held the arrow out for Hanzo. "Nobody is perfect."

"How did you do that?" Hanzo asked taking the arrow from Tracer's outstretched hand.

"Let's just say I have a thing that lets me move through time at will," Tracer answered cryptically. "Now in exchange, I want some information from you."

"Regarding what?" Hanzo said loading the third arrow into the bowstring.

"Genji."

This caused Hanzo to fire the arrow prematurely which caused it to fall from his hand.

"Though I've only known him for a month, I get the impression he's troubled by something from his past and you're somehow involved with it."

"Did he say anything recently?"

"No, so I did my own research."

Cautiously, Hanzo picked up the arrow and reloaded it. "So have you come here to blackmail me or something?"

"Not at all," Tracer responded. "I just want confirmation that what I've discovered is true."

"Such as?"

"Well, knowing that Genji's last name is Shimada, and that the Shimada Clan were a family of assassins that became a well-known criminal organization in Japan, I gather that he was a member of the Shimada Clan before defecting and living with the Shambali monks. Now what I'm not sure about is whether he was the young Clan leader who mysteriously disappeared last year or his younger brother who vanished after an explosion had occurred in Hanamura where the Shimada Clan carried out their operations."

"Where did you get this information?"

"From a television interview conducted by the BBC with an anonymous source named Mister D who spilled everything about the Shimada Clan after leaving them recently, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Genji might've been the man they interviewed."

"Then why are you talking to me? It seems you've got him figured out."

"So it's true? He really was part of the Shimada Clan?"

"I'm not going to deny it."

"Do you know what happened to him? How he got so injured to the point of needing a cyborg body to live?"

"He was in a fight, which should've killed him," Hanzo replied bitterly as he fired the arrow. "But thanks to Mercy's help, Genji lived and then he apparently found inner-peace while living with the Shambali monks."

"But Genji's not truly at peace," Tracer said anxiously. "He can't talk to me about his past without clamming up, and so maybe if I know what happened I could help him better."

"It would be unwise to pry into something that has nothing to do with you," Hanzo said as he walked toward the target. "So forget everything I've said and leave me alone."

Angrily, Tracer shouted, "Fine! Be a jerk to your brother for all I care!"

Upon hearing that Hanzo turned around and fired an arrow at Tracer's retreating figure. Tracer noticed it and sped up using the Chronal Accelerator. The arrow harmlessly landed behind her, though Tracer nearly collided with Widowmaker who was running along the track wearing a pink sweatshirt and purple skin-tight pants. To prevent this, Tracer attempted to move backwards in time but the blue disk suddenly turned dim. So she ended up losing balance and falling into Widowmaker's path.

"Ugh, you again," Widowmaker said and jumped over Tracer without warning.

"Excuse me?" Tracer exclaimed, but Widowmaker was already several feet ahead of her. She then looked down at the Chronal Accelerator and hissed, "Rats! I overheated it again! Now I'll have to wait for it to recharge."

As Tracer got up, she noticed Widowmaker deviating from the track and jogging over to Hanzo just as he was retrieving the arrow that was fired. He seemed surprised to see her as she got uncomfortably close to him.

 _Is she trying to seduce him or something?_ Tracer wondered. _Wouldn't surprise me in the least._

To be continued…


	17. Stage 17: Suspicion and Revelation!

Stage 17: Suspicion and Revelation!

In the locker-room after Combat Training, Tracer was showering the sweat and bruises she had gotten from her recent spar with Junkrat. Though he didn't use hand-grenades this time, his fighting-style was sneaky and underhanded. Luckily, Tracer was still able to win thanks to the Chronal Accelerator which Reinhardt hadn't caught her using yet.

 _I feel bad about cheating during our spars_ , Tracer thought. _But if he's going to cheat even without bombs, then so should I. That's the whole point of this assignment, right? To best each other using our own skills till we're even._

Feeling thoroughly cleaned, Tracer turned off the water and used the towel she brought that looked like the British flag to dry herself. Then she heard footsteps and stopped drying. There was an electronic _beep_ followed by a small ringing sound which stopped after a few seconds.

"This is Widowmaker," said a young female voice in a French accent. "Yes, I am alone."

Quietly, Tracer peeked out from the shower curtain and saw Widowmaker standing before a mirror in front of a nearby sink wearing a lavender shoulder-less top, black jeggings, and matching high-heels.

"I spoke to him this morning," Widowmaker replied to a small bluetooth phone attached to her left ear. "No, he suspects nothing. I persuaded him to join the Payload Competition under the assumption that Genji plans to steal the Doomfist Gauntlet."

There was a pause in the conversation as Widowmaker looked about causing Tracer to lower the shower curtain slightly.

"I'm working on recruiting others as we speak," Widowmaker said after looking around. "As soon as the Red Team successfully prevents the Payload from reaching the museum, I will steal the Gauntlet and frame Hanzo for it. Then after he's been expelled, that's when you'll appear and offer him a spot in our organization."

Then after a brief chuckle, Widowmaker turned off the bluetooth phone and left the locker-room.

###

"Genji!" Tracer cried knocking on the door to his and Zenyatta's dorm. Classes were over and it was early evening.

The door opened slightly, revealing it to be Zenyatta. " _Tracer? What brings you here?_ "

"Is Genji around? I must speak to him," Tracer said anxiously.

" _He's currently in a deep meditative state,_ " Zenyatta said opening the door wider. " _It'll be another hour before he snaps out, but you can tell me what you'd like to say to him._ "

So Tracer stepped into the dorm-room which was a lot less cluttered than Hanzo and Winston's dorm with fewer furniture items. While Tracer sat down on a floor pillow in the middle of the room, Zenyatta hovered slightly above her.

" _Do you need anything?_ " Zenyatta asked.

"Have you got anything to drink?" Tracer wondered.

" _I just finished brewing some herbal tea for Genji,_ " Zenyatta said, floating over to an electronic kettle that was situated on a Japanese-style table located near the back where a scroll hung down depicting a symbol that resembled a spiral with square-shaped edges. " _Would you like some?_ "

"Um, sure," Tracer answered. "I didn't know Genji could drink tea."

" _It's one of the few liquids he can swallow without choking,_ " Zenyatta said as he poured tea from the kettle into a small handleless cup made of clay.

After Zenyatta handed the cup to Tracer, she immediately took a sip of it. "Mmm, tastes good. What kind is it?"

" _Green,_ " Zenyatta replied. " _It is a popular variety of tea throughout Asia, apart from Oolong and Black._ "

"I like Black Tea," Tracer said after taking another sip. "It gives me the energy I need to wake up in the mornings."

" _That's probably because of the caffeine content which is higher in Black Tea compared to most teas,_ " Zenyatta explained. " _Now tell me what brings you here._ "

Tracer took another sip of the green tea and told Zenyatta about her online search, the meeting with Hanzo, and Widowmaker's mysterious phone-call. Zenyatta didn't speak the whole time but nodded every now and then. When Tracer was done talking, she took a couple more sips of the green tea while Zenyatta lowered his head slightly. The lights on his forehead seemed to flicker slightly, and then they grew bright again.

" _I don't blame you for being curious about Genji's past,_ " Zenyatta said. " _Because he hasn't been very open about himself, you've naturally become curious out of a desire to help him._ "

"Exactly," Tracer said feeling relieved. "He is a friend, after all, but I didn't want to tell him what I learned."

" _Why is that?_ "

"Because I thought he would get mad and not trust me anymore. Then that all changed when I heard Widowmaker's conversation."

" _Yes, that is troubling._ "

" _I'm done with my meditation, Master,_ " Genji said, appearing out of a door located to Zenyatta's left. When he noticed Tracer, he flinched. " _Tracer! What are you doing here?_ "

"I came to ask you about participating in the Payload Competition," Tracer said, trying to sound calm.

In response, Genji said, " _I'm not interested._ "

"But things have changed," Tracer insisted. "Hanzo could get into serious trouble if you don't stop him."

" _Why should I care?_ "

"Because he's your brother!"

Upon hearing that, Genji swiftly tackled Tracer to the ground and put his hands around her throat. " _Who told you?_ "

"N-No one, I just sort of figured it out," Tracer said trying to loosen Genji's grip.

" _Let her go, Genji,_ " Zenyatta said, firmly pinching Genji's shoulder. " _You're behaving irrationally and not giving Tracer the chance to speak._ "

Glancing at Zenyatta, Genji bowed his head and released Tracer. " _Forgive me, Master._ "

Then while Genji knelt down and crossed his arms, Tracer explained the same things she told Zenyatta to him after grabbing the spilled cup and cleaning up the stain with a bathroom towel.

Once Tracer had got done explaining, Genji said, " _If you wanted to know my past so badly, why didn't you tell me?_ "

"I tried asking you, but you'd always clam up," Tracer said irritably. "So is Hanzo really your brother? And are you both former members of the Shimada Clan?"

" _Yes,_ " Genji said reluctantly. " _We were both raised to rule the Shimada Clan, with my older brother being the legitimate heir and I being the possible replacement. Because of that, I didn't have nearly as many responsibilities as my brother. So while my life was fairly normal, Hanzo was constantly disciplined by our father and so he was pretty isolated. I was the only source of companionship he had, so we were very close._

" _But then our father unexpectedly passed away from a sudden illness. This in turn forced Hanzo to become the next Clan leader, though he was still young. As a result, he became more distant and bitter as his desire to please our father outweighed our friendship. So I made the bold decision to leave the Clan, which he found out about and tried to talk me out of. When I didn't listen, we got into a fight which resulted in a 'explosion' in Hanamura and me ending up like this._ "

To Tracer's surprise, Genji removed his silver helmet revealing a face that had been badly burned with charred lips, scars across both cheeks, and blood-red eyes.

"Oh, god," Tracer gasped, covering up her mouth instinctively. "Did Hanzo do this to you?"

After Genji tentatively nodded, he put the helmet back on which caused the green visor to light up again. " _He attacked me with his Spirit Dragon, which is similar to the one I wield but much more powerful. When Hanzo was done, he left my body to rot in the streets instead of finishing me off. It was then that I thought my life was forfeit when an angel suddenly appeared before me. She said her name was Mercy and offered to repair my body in exchange for taking down the Shimada Clan. Wanting revenge on my brother, I took the offer and was given this cyborg body for the sole purpose of eliminating the organization that I had once been a part of._

" _After several weeks had gone by, everyone in the Shimada Clan was dead except for Hanzo. But when he slipped from my grasp, I didn't have it in me to go after him. So I ran away and found solace at the Shambali temple in Nepal. It was there that I met Zenyatta, who taught me how to find inner-peace and come to terms with my past. Then I found Hanzo in Hanamura paying tribute to my remains, and persuaded him to attend Overwatch High along with me and Zenyatta. But shortly after the school semester started, I found myself unable to interact with him because I still hated him for what he did to me._ "

"And maybe he acts like a jerk around you to hide his guilt," Tracer suggested. "Frankly, I think you two need to talk things out but right now we've got to stop Hanzo from helping Widowmaker steal the Doomfist Gauntlet, whatever that is."

" _The Doomfist Gauntlet belonged to a famous hero who was said to be incredibly strong,_ " Zenyatta said, surprising Genji and Tracer. " _I read online that the Numbani Heritage Museum is planning to hold a Doomfist exhibition on Unity Day with the Gauntlet as the main attraction._ "

"So if Widowmaker is using the Payload Competition as a cover to steal the Doomfist Gauntlet, that means—

" _The Payload will contain the Doomfist Gauntlet,_ " Zenyatta finished. " _Now from what I've gathered, the teams are determined by Athena but with some limitations. For instance, there is one team that delivers the Payload while the other tries to stop it. Then color-wise, it's narrowed down to Red or Blue._ "

"Okay, but what's your point?" Tracer asked.

" _My point is that until we sign up, we won't know which team is doing what objective or which color they'll be._ "

" _But Master,_ " Genji interrupted. " _If Widowmaker is certain that the Red Team will be the ones preventing the Payload from reaching the end-goal, then she must know what Athena's ultimate decision will be._ "

"Or at least have a good idea of it," Tracer interceded. "Nevertheless, I say we sign up for the Payload Competition and beat some sense into Hanzo so Widowmaker doesn't get away with her scheme! Now who's with me?"

" _I am!_ " Zenyatta said raising his hand.

" _I'll only go if Master goes,_ " Genji said, heading back to his room. " _But don't count on me to confront Hanzo. He nearly killed me before, and I certainly don't want to put myself in harm's way again._ "

"Fine," Tracer said folding her arms. "Keep running away from your problems, though sooner or later they'll come to bite you back."

To be continued…


	18. Stage 18: Costume Crisis!

Stage 18: Costume Crisis!

"You do realize that having Genji participate in the Payload Competition will only make Widowmaker's lie more plausible to Hanzo, right?" Pharah said to Tracer once she had gotten back to her dorm and explained the situation.

"I know," Tracer said lowering her head. "But Hanzo wouldn't listen to me if I told him, especially after what happened earlier today. So that leaves Genji or Zenyatta as the only other people who could talk sense into him."

"Makes sense," Zarya said chiming in. "Then Omnic and cyborg will be part of competition."

"Yes, assuming they sign up soon," Tracer replied. "Speaking of which, are you two going to be participating in the Competition?"

"I am," Pharah responded. "What about you, Zarya?"

Zarya shrugged. "I'm not sure. Hope I don't end up on same team as Omnic and cyborg."

"Even though they've been coming over here for several weeks and not shown any signs of hostility?" Tracer said groaning. "You've even started watching movies with us."

"I'm still not trusting Omnic," Zarya said folding arms.

"We won't know which team we'll be on till we sign up, Zarya," Pharah interceded. "You've been looking forward to this Competition for months. Why should you let one Omnic ruin that?"

In response, Zarya sighed and said, "Fine. I'll sign up, too."

"Jolly good!" Tracer exclaimed. "Then I'll be in my room signing up right now."

Then with that said, Tracer went into her room and logged onto the desktop computer. She had no problem finding the Payload Competition link on the school website and clicked on it to register. After filling out her name and Class type Tracer came to a question that said, 'Do you have your own costume?'.

"Odd," Tracer was baffled and turned towards the closed door. "Um, guys?"

"What is it?" Pharah asked, appearing in the doorway as the door slid open.

"It's asking if I have my own costume," Tracer explained. "Is it necessary?"

"Absolutely," Pharah nodded. "This Competition is our chance to shine as heroes-in-training, so we must look presentable for the audience and represent what our school stands for! There's a website that makes customized costumes for reasonable prizes, and if you order now you'll have your costume delivered to you before the Competition."

"I see," Tracer said as she looked back at the computer screen. "So what should I say regarding the question?"

"Just click 'yes' and go to that website I mentioned," Pharah responded as she left Tracer's room. "It's called _Skin_ if you're wondering."

"Thanks, luv," Tracer said.

Once she had finished registering for the Payload Competition, Tracer went to _Skin_ and found an application form. It gave her several options in terms of costume-types and supplementary equipment, with prices ranging accordingly. The form also required measurements, color choices, and a rough sketch of the desired costume.

"Gosh," Tracer muttered. "How do I want to present myself?"

###

"Soldier: 76," Tracer said, trying to get his attention after Weapons 101 ended. "Jack."

" _What?_ " Soldier: 76 said looking up from his clipboard where he was taking notes.

"I was wondering if you could lend me some money," Tracer said nervously.

" _How much?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

"Enough to purchase a costume on _Skin_ ," replied Tracer.

" _Those usually cost somewhere between 60 to 300 dollars, right?_ "

"Yeah, though it depends on how many things I purchase."

" _How many items do you need?_ "

"I'm not sure. I haven't even done a rough sketch of my costume yet."

" _Then do that first before consulting me about money. You should probably get to your next class, Tracer._ "

"Right," Tracer said and left the classroom.

She was just heading down the hallway when the school bell rang. Anxiously, Tracer used the Chronal Accelerator to Blink forward in time. She reached the classroom door for Omnic History in a matter of seconds, and was about to touch the door when the _click_ of a revolver stopped her.

"Don't move."

Instinctively, Tracer used the Chronal Accelerator to go back in time to before she went forward. She heard a second pair of footsteps behind her and turned around. Standing in the middle of the hallway was a tall man wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a red knitted poncho over a metallic chest-plate, cow-hide pants, and pointed shoes adorned in spurs. In one leather-glove covered hand he carried a six-shot revolver while the other was hidden beneath the quilt.

"You're McCree, aren't you?" Tracer asked.

He seemed surprised and then held up his revolver. "I'm sure you've heard the rumors about me."

"I was told you threaten late students with a revolver," Tracer said, taking a step back.

"You bet I do," McCree responded and pointed the revolver at Tracer. "Now I'm gonna count to three and if you're not in class by the time I fire this gun, you'll be sent to detention. Got it?"

Tracer made an audible gulp.

Then as McCree started counting, Tracer Blinked forward and made it to Omnic History just as Torbjörn was beginning his lecture.

###

" _Good news, Tracer,_ " Zenyatta said as the two of them were heading down the hall to their next classes. " _Genji and I signed up for the Payload Competition this morning._ "

"That's great," Tracer said smiling.

" _Have you done the same?_ "

"Last night," Tracer said nodding. "But now I'm trying to figure out a costume to wear for the Competition. You and Genji have costumes, right?"

" _What we wear is all we have,_ " Zenyatta said. " _So I made the bold decision to label our daily clothes as 'costumes' with Genji's assurance that they would be fine._ "

"Probably," Tracer responded, though her eyes were on a nearby clock. "I mean, Genji looks pretty awesome in his cyborg body and you're not half-bed dressed in those pants of yours. They match the color of your Orbs."

" _I appreciate the compliment,_ " Zeyatta said bowing his head. " _Now I must be off to First Aid 101. See you later!_ "

"Same here, Zenyatta," Tracer said as he hovered away.

She was able to reach Combat Training just before the bell rang, so McCree didn't show up to bust her. But instead, Junkrat was lingering near the girls' locker-room which made Tracer wince nervously.

"Trying to sneak in for a peek, eh?" Tracer said, approaching him coyly.

"Well, that's a fine how-do-you-do!" Junkrat snapped. "I was hoping we could talk."

"About what?" Tracer wondered, becoming very rigid as Junkrat slowly approached her.

"That thing strapped to your chest," Junkrat said, pointing to the Chronal Accelerator.

"It's, um, none of your business," Tracer responded, walking past Junkrat.

"Oh, but I think it is," Junkrat said, pulling on Tracer's arm. "During our matches, I've noticed that thing lights up before you seemingly disappear only to reappear several seconds earlier than before. If you're cheating to win, then I'll tell Reinhardt."

"Fine," Tracer responded releasing her arm from Junkrat's grasp. "Then our deal is off."

Junkrat flinched and gritted his teeth.

"If you talk to Reinhardt about my so-called cheating, I will tell him about you bringing weapons to class without permission," Tracer said looking over her shoulder. "The choice is yours, Junkrat, but keep your school record in mind."

"Like I give a crap about that!" Junkrat exclaimed as he walked away. "I'm just serving time."

Not sure what Junkrat was talking about, Tracer shrugged and walked into the girls' locker-room.

To be continued…


	19. Stage 19: Practical and Personal!

Stage 19: Practical and Personal!

"Hey, Tracer," Pharah said, coming into Tracer's room. "How is your costume coming along?"

"Not good," Tracer muttered, holding a tablet and electric pen in her hands.

"Well, you should figure it out soon or the shipment will come in late."

"I know, and that's why I'm frustrated right now."

"Let me see what you have."

"All right."

Tracer reluctantly got out of her desk chair so Pharah could occupy it. There was a drawing program opened up on Tracer's desktop computer which contained several files of costume designs. Pharah clicked on each one, looked at it, and then moved onto the next image.

After going through all of them, Pharah stated, "They're not bad, but they don't seem practical or give me a clear statement of yourself."

"What do you mean?" Tracer asked.

"A good costume is not only suitable to the wearer's needs but it also says something about the wearer."

Then Pharah took Tracer by the hand and dragged her into the living-room area. From there, Pharah led Tracer into her room and stopped before the glass container which held the blue armored suit and bird-shaped helmet.

"This is the Raptora Mark VI," Pharah said. "I made it in Combat Suits & Mechs class last year, after five failed attempts."

"It's wicked cool!" Tracer remarked, eying every inch of the suit.

"Now what about this suit is practical?"

"Hmm," Tracer murmured as she noticed a pair of wings attached to the suit and looked at the bird-shaped helmet once more. "It looks good for combat purposes because of the armored plating, but its bulkiness would indicate a lack of mobility. So to compensate for that, you've got wings which would allow you to fly through the air and surprise enemies more easily. Also, the helmet obscures your face enough to keep your identity anonymous and the blue coloring lets you blend in with the sky. Did I miss anything?"

"No, you got it right," Pharah nodded. "Now how does the suit fit me personally?"

"Um, it's…intimidating, but strong," Tracer said nervously. "And it resembles a bird, indicating that you like birds."

"Correct," Pharah said in approval. "So try coming up with a costume that suits your needs and states something about you."

"Okay."

###

"Guys!" Tracer shouted from her bedroom two days after getting advice from Pharah. "I figured out my costume!"

"Really?" Pharah said, leaving her room to go into Tracer's.

"Let us see," Zarya responded, following Pharah.

"Ta-da!" Tracer turned the desktop computer in Pharah and Zarya's direction while smiling. "What do you think?"

On the screen was a rough outline of Tracer's body wearing a skin-tight yellow jumpsuit that gradually turned orange past the calves with black outlines along the bikini area and stripes along the sides of her legs. The Chronal Accelerator was placed firmly on her chest above a brown leather jacket that had the British flag sewn onto each shoulder. She was also wearing white fin-shaped guards on her forearms, black gloves, white laceless shoes, and a pair of orange ski goggles over her eyes.

Pharah winced. "It…looks cool, though I fail to see how it's practical to you."

"Allow me to explain," Tracer said calmly. "Over the years, I've come to realize that certain articles of clothing make me move through time quicker than others. For instance, loose pants and sweatshirts make me go a few seconds slower than if I wore booty shorts and tank-tops. But I'm worried wearing those kinds of clothes would give off the wrong message, so a skin-tight bodysuit seemed like the best alternative."

"Even though it outlines every part of body," Zarya said, looking at the back-view of the costume. "Including your butt."

"A necessary sacrifice if I'm to move quickly through time and on the battlefield," Tracer replied. "That's why I've got running shoes and arm guards with fins."

"To make you more streamlined and mobile," Pharah noted. "Like an airplane."

"Exactly," Tracer said in agreement. "Now the jacket is meant to be similar to the type a fighter pilot would wear, which reflects my love of planes, and the goggles serve as a kind of mask to make me look cool but mysterious."

"So your costume is designed to make you move faster and you're presenting yourself as someone who's cool but hard to catch," Pharah observed and then said, "But your color scheme makes you stand out like a sore thumb and the Chronal Accelerator is unprotected making it an easy target for enemy fire."

"I'll just Blink or Recall if I have to." When Pharah and Zarya gave her odd looks, Tracer explained, "Blink's when I go forward in time, while Recall's the opposite."

"Doesn't the Chronal Accelerator overheat if it's used too many times?" Pharah pointed out.

"It does, and when that happens I'll hide," Tracer responded.

"Hiding won't save you forever, especially when delivering Payload or defending point," Zarya said bluntly. "Have you got weapon for extra protection?"

"Um, no," Tracer said shaking her head. "We're less than a third through the Manuel in Weapons 101 and I haven't starting crafting my own weapon yet."

"Which is?"

"I haven't got a name, but here's what it looks like." Tracer pulled a blueprint from underneath her desk and showed it to Pharah and Zarya.

They looked at the blueprint with concentrated looks and then Pharah asked, "Can you make a prototype of this before the Competition?"

"I'm not sure," Tracer said doubtfully.

"Then do it," Zarya said, handing the blueprint back to Tracer. "Otherwise you'll be walking target for everyone."

###

The following morning, Tracer called Soldier: 76 for a private meeting even though he didn't have office hours. They met in the school's shooting range, which was a rectangular building attached to the school gym that had white metallic floors, a locker-room, a storage closet, and twelve booths lined up before an empty chamber where human-shaped targets glided on ceiling rails. While Soldier: 76 was carrying a large rifle-shaped weapon, Tracer carried an ordinary handgun she borrowed from the storage closet where all rental weapons were kept.

" _So how much is it going to cost?_ " Soldier: 76 asked as he took aim at the dartboard in front of him. " _Your costume, I mean._ "

"About 287 dollars if I order it on _Skin_ ," Tracer said attempting to load the handgun. "If that's too much, then I'll figure something else out."

" _No, I can manage,_ " Soldier: 76 replied, firing the rifle without warning. The dartboard cracked as a bullet flew right through its head. " _But that means you won't be getting any allowance money for the next month or two._ "

"That's fine," Tracer responded, realizing she loaded the handgun incorrectly. "I was also wondering if I could make a prototype of my final project for Weapons 101 before the Payload Competition."

" _You have a weapon already figured out?_ " Soldier: 76 exclaimed. " _What is it?_ "

"If I told you, it would ruin the surprise," Tracer said teasingly while loading the handgun a second time.

" _Then can you tell me what materials you're planning to use?_ "

"Just some Hard-Light metals, a couple of power cells, 40 bullets, and a wireless cable that connects to the Chronal Accelerator."

Soldier: 76 raised an eyebrow. " _You're planning to draw energy from the Chronal Accelerator to power your weapon?_ "

"Right-O!" Tracer said aiming the handgun and pulling the trigger.

The bullet flew past the dartboard and ricocheted off the rail. Tracer immediately ducked while Soldier: 76 continued standing as the bullet landed harmlessly in a corner.

" _Sounds risky,_ " Soldier: 76 said after Tracer got up. " _Maybe you should talk to Winston first._ "

"I have, and he says it'll work so long as the wireless cable filters in small amounts of energy to power the cells," Tracer answered. "Then once the cells are fully charged, they can transfer that energy to the bullets."

" _This is all in theory, right?_ "

"Unless I test it out."

" _The Payload Competition is in two weeks. Do you really think you'll have enough time to make the weapon, let alone test it, alongside your homework?_ "

"Why must you rain down on my parade?" Tracer snapped. "If I go into the Payload Competition without any weapons, I'm basically screwed."

" _Should've thought about that before signing up._ "

"I hate you, Jack!"

As Tracer stormed out, Soldier: 76 looked back for a brief moment before turning away.

To be continued…


	20. Stage 20: Permission and Borrowing!

Stage 20: Permission and Borrowing!

In the end, Soldier: 76 agreed to pay for Tracer's costume but was not willing to let her create a prototype weapon. His reasoning was that he didn't want to show signs of favoritism toward any of his students. Instead, Soldier: 76 gave her permission to use a rental weapon for the Competition and practice using it for as long as she needed.

"I can't believe what Jack's making me do," Tracer complained to Winston a couple days after Soldier: 76 made his proposition. "It's not fair, Winston."

"He's just looking out for you," Winston replied. "Besides, learning to use an ordinary handgun would be good practice for using your planned weapon."

"Maybe," Tracer shrugged. "The Pulse Pistols are basically handguns, only their bullets are powered by energy instead of ignition."

"It still follows the same principle," Winston noted.

"I'll think about it," Tracer said as she got up.

On the way out of Winston's dorm, she passed by Hanzo in the hallway.

Neither of them spoke until Hanzo suddenly said, "Do you have a moment?"

Tracer automatically looked back and huffed. "Talk to my bum."

Then as Tracer walked further down the hallway, Hanzo grumbled loudly, "I was going to apologize for shooting my arrow at you by accident, but it seems you're not the forgiving type."

"Typically, no, but in this case I'm willing to forgive you," Tracer replied as she reached the elevator at the end of the hallway. "Only if you're willing to talk to Genji."

Hanzo clenched one of his hands. "I have nothing to say."

"Sure you do," Tracer said mockingly. "I'll be competing in the Payload Competition along with Genji and Zenyatta."

"Did you blackmail Genji too?"

"No!" Tracer said turning to face Hanzo. "I told him everything I knew, he explained some things, and agreed to compete."

"Then I refuse to speak to him."

"He doesn't want to talk either."

"Good."

"But I'm now more determined then ever to fix your familial relationship."

"Genji is no longer the brother I grew up with. He's a machine, now, not a man."

"With a human heart and soul, which you don't seem to have anymore."

"My patience is wearing thin."

"Same here," Tracer said as she got into the elevator. "See you in the Payload Competition."

###

In the two weeks that followed, Tracer spent a lot of free time in the shooting range practicing how to fire a handgun. Once she got used to one, Tracer attempted using two. It was trickier than she thought, but after a few practice sessions Tracer managed to pull off a few decent shots.

" _Impressive,_ " Soldier: 76 observed after Tracer did a demonstration for him.

The human-shaped target had holes in the center of its chest and forehead.

"Thanks," Tracer said humbly. "Now you said I could use one rental weapon, right?"

" _That is correct,_ " Soldier: 76 nodded.

"Can I use these two?" Tracer asked, making a pouty face. "Please?"

Soldier: 76 folded his arms. " _The first rental weapon is free, but then after that you have to pay a small fee._ "

"How much?"

" _Twenty dollars._ "

"Are you kidding? I barely have ten dollars in allowance money!"

" _That's how it is, Lena._ "

"Can't I just claim these two handguns as one weapon and not pay the fee?"

" _No, that would be dishonest._ "

"But you're the principal of this school, Jack! Surely you can work something out to make an exception for me."

" _I don't make exceptions for anyone unless it's absolutely necessary. You may be my adopted daughter, but I'm not going to treat you any different from the other students._ "

"Okay," Tracer said dropping the unloaded handguns on the floor. "If that's how it's going to be, then I might as well not bring any weapons to the Payload Competition at all."

" _Then you can't participate in the Competition. Participants must carry at least one weapon on them, whether it's their own or rented._ "

"Fine," Tracer groaned picking up the handguns. "Then I'll pay the fee."

" _When will that be?_ "

"As soon as possible," Tracer responded as she reloaded the handguns and kept firing the target which had been replaced with a new one.

###

"You want to borrow money from us?" Pharah said sounding surprised.

"Just enough for renting two weapons from the shooting range," Tracer explained.

"Isn't fee twenty dollars after first free weapon?" Zarya asked.

"It is," Pharah answered. "How much money do you have, Tracer?"

"About eight dollars," Tracer said embarrassingly. "I used to have twenty."

"Where did that money go?" Pharah wondered.

"Toward buying snacks, gym clothes, and the occasional Hal-Fred Glitchbot movie from the campus store," Tracer said.

Pharah muttered something in Egyptian while Zarya sighed heavily.

"Look, if you don't want to give me money that's fine," Tracer said holding her hands up. "I'll just use one handgun for the Competition, and not two."

"My grandparents send me fifteen dollars a month," Zarya said. "I'm willing to give you five."

"That adds up to thirteen dollars," Tracer said counting on her fingers. "I need seven more to pay the fee."

"I can give you that," Pharah said reluctantly. "My mother occasionally gives me money, though we don't get along well."

"Thanks, loves," Tracer said hugging Pharah and Zarya. "I'll pay you back as soon as possible."

"No need to do that," Zarya said, slapping Tracer hard on the back. "You are our friend, which is payment enough."

"By the way," Tracer said turning to Pharah. "I thought you said your mother was dead. Did you mean your aunt or something?"

"Did I say that?" Pharah's cheeks flushed red. "Sorry, I meant to say my aunt."

"It's okay," Tracer shrugged. "We all let things slip from our mouths that don't make sense."

"Right," Pharah said in agreement, though she was still blushing.

###

"Hey, Zarya," Tracer said, approaching her on the track later that night.

" _Da_?" Zarya responded, pausing mid-run.

"Mind if I join you?"

"No."

The two ran at a steady pace in silence for a while until Tracer said, "Did Pharah ever say her real name while you were roommates?"

Zarya shook her head. "She wasn't comfortable saying it, so I let her tell me in own time. Still waiting for response."

"Same here," Tracer responded. "I'm hoping she'll tell me after the Payload Competition since I agreed to tell her my story."

"Don't count on it," Zarya replied bitterly. "She has habit of making up excuse for not telling real name, or who her mother is. If I had to guess, it would be Ana."

"Why?" Tracer said speeding up as Zarya ran slightly ahead of her. "Just because they're both Egyptian doesn't mean they're related."

"Ana was founding member of Overwatch, and former member of the Egyptian Army. Pharah said same things about her mom to me."

"And I," Tracer added.

"If you want further proof, look at picture in Mercy's office."

"The really big one?"

"You went to Mercy's office before?"

"For counseling purposes."

"Then you saw little girl standing before a tall woman?"

"Yeah?"

"I think tall woman is Ana and little girl is Pharah."

"That would make sense, but how can we prove it?"

"If Mercy knew both, she might be able to tell you truth."

"Guess it's worth a try," Tracer said, now running ahead of Zarya.

To be continued…


	21. Stage 21: Roll Call!

Stage 21: Roll Call!

When Unity Day arrived Tracer immediately got out of bed, went to the bathroom, and changed into her costume. It had arrived the previous night much to her relief, and was not damaged. She removed the Chronal Accelerator and quickly got into the jumpsuit. Then she put on the fighter pilot jacket and strapped the Chronal Accelerator onto that.

 _Thank god_ , Tracer said breathing a sigh of relief. _If it had taken a few seconds longer, I would've surely disappeared._

A few knocks came from the door. "Everything all right in there?"

"All's well, Zarya," Tracer replied. "Just getting changed."

"Let me know when you are done," Zarya said.

"Okay."

After that, Tracer put on the arm guards, shoes, gloves, and goggles. She looked at herself in the mirror for a moment, winked, and stepped out.

"Check me out!" Tracer said, twirling around in excitement. "How do I look?"

"Pretty good," Zarya nodded in approval. "Though outline of butt is distracting."

"Really?" Tracer said, looking down at her butt. "Is it that bad?"

"Not at all!"

"Then what's wrong with my bum?"

"It's hard not to look at." Zarya then suddenly blushed and went into the bathroom before Tracer could respond.

"I'm going to go and have breakfast," Tracer said sheepishly. "Will you tell Pharah that?"

" _Da_ ," Zarya responded. "See you at bus-station."

"Right-O!"

At the cafeteria, Tracer saw a few others wearing costumes as well. She noticed D. Va sporting the same jumpsuit from the Entrance Exam except this time there were pink triangles painted on the sides of her cheeks. As for Junkrat, he wore the same vest of hand-grenades and spiked rubber tire along with his usual tattered shorts and hole-ridden shoe. Upon making eye-contact, Junkrat approached Tracer as she stood in line to get food.

"What's that get-up supposed to be?" Junkrat asked, eyeing Tracer from head-to-toe. "You look like a mashup between a track-runner and a pilot."

"Well, that is the idea," Tracer said with a straight face.

Junkrat then suddenly burst into laughter and found himself kneeling on his peg-leg. "You can't be serious! You're going into battle looking like _that_?"

"What's wrong with my outfit?" Tracer said putting a hand on her hip. "Too classy for you?"

"I think it looks silly," D. Va interceded, carrying a plastic bowl of noodle soup with red-colored broth. "You should've picked one style of clothing, not two."

"Says the tyke wearing the skin-tight jumpsuit," Junkrat commented, looking in D. Va's direction. "You trying to be jailbait or something?"

D. Va's cheeks flushed red. "You're unbelievable, junk boy!"

"You take that back!" Junkrat snapped.

He attempted to assault D. Va, but was suddenly frozen in place by a sudden blast of icy air. Tracer looked back and saw a young woman standing near the end of the line wearing a heavy winter jacket, thick gloves, tight pants, and snow boots. She was carrying a small gun-shaped object that was attached to a tube which connected to a blue tank strapped to her back, and pointed it at Junkrat.

"Mei," D. Va said, looking surprised. "Why did you do that?"

"He was being annoying," the woman said, putting away the gun. "Now let's eat already."

Without hesitation, D. Va followed the woman known as Mei to the seating area. In a few seconds, the ice melted and Junkrat was thrown to the floor. While he was shivering, Tracer got her food and left.

###

After having a lonely breakfast, Tracer met up with Pharah and Zarya at a bus-station that was next to the school. While Zarya was wearing a simple turquoise blue top and matching loose pants, Pharah stood proudly in her Raptora Mark VI suit with the bird-shaped helmet cradled under one arm. In the other, Pharah carried a rocket-launcher while Zarya held the huge white gun Tracer had noticed in her room before.

"Wow, you guys look amazing!" Tracer said, looking at both of them. "And your weapons are fantastic too!"

"Thanks," Pharah said nodding.

"We try," Zarya replied. "Did you bring handguns?"

"Sure did." Tracer pulled out the two ordinary handguns from her jacket and sighed. "Though they don't look as cool as my Pulse Pistols."

"You'll make them eventually," Pharah said supportively.

"Yeah, but it would've been nice to—

" _Attention!_ " Soldier: 76's voice blared over the campus speakers. " _Will the participants of the Payload Competition please may their way to the buses in an orderly fashion. I repeat—_

Getting the message, Tracer walked up to two buses painted red and blue. In front of them stood McCree, Ana, and Mercy.

"Now before y'all get on the bus, I'm gonna have Ana tell you which team you're on," McCree said in a loud but still gruff voice. "Then you'll board whichever bus fits your color."

Then Ana stepped forward and held up an electronic tablet. "Based on the information you submitted in your applications, Athena was able to calculate your individual strengths and pair you off in groups that seemed well-balanced to her. She also decided which team would fulfill what purpose by comparing previous matches to the current set-up and—

"Get to the point already!" Junkrat shouted obnoxiously.

Ana huffed in irritation and pulled up a holographic list of profiles. "So here are the results: the Blue Team's goal will be to escort the Payload safely to its designated location having Zarya, Pharah, Hanzo, Tracer, Winston, and Zenyatta while the Red Team will try to prevent the Payload from moving and include Widowmaker, Genji, D. Va, Junkrat, Mei, and Symmetra."

 _That doesn't sound right!_ Tracer thought. _Why would Athena break up Genji and Zenyatta?_

" _Question,_ " Zenyatta said, raising his hand.

"Make it quick, Zenyatta," Ana said impatiently.

" _I fail to understand Athena's logic in sorting out the teams,_ " Zenyatta responded calmly. " _It would seem more logical for me and Genji to stay together._ "

Ana shook her head. "That's not what Athena thought, apparently."

"I may be able to shed some light on this issue," Winston spoke up. "Since Hanzo and Widowmaker are both marksman, Athena thought it would make sense for them to be on one team each instead of two."

"Sounds like an accurate response, being Athena's programmer and all," McCree stated. "Now let's get a move on!"

To be continued…


	22. Stage 22: Rough Start!

Stage 22: Rough Start!

Once everyone was divided into two lines, McCree ordered the Red Team to board their bus first with him boarding last. Then after that, the Blue Team boarded theirs with Ana following them. Mercy, on the other hand, flapped her mechanical bird-like wings and took off into the air. Then as she vanished from sight, the wheels vanished beneath the Red Team's bus. It hovered midair and flew out of the school's parking-lot. But when the Blue Team's bus tried to do the same, it didn't hover as long as the first bus.

"What's wrong?" Ana asked sitting toward the front of the bus.

" _We've exceeded the maximum weight limit_ ," the Omnic bus-driver said. " _At least two people need to get off._ "

Near the back, Winston sighed. "I'll walk."

As Winston stumbled down the aisle in his white metal armor carrying a large black cannon-shaped gun over one shoulder, Tracer stood up.

"You don't have to follow me, Tracer," Winston said looking at her.

"But how will you know where to go?" Tracer asked.

"Athena told me," Winston replied and stepped off the bus.

Tracer sat back down and lowered her head as the bus took off.

" _Do not feel bad, Tracer,_ " Zenyatta said putting a hand on Tracer's shoulder. " _At least Winston knows where he is going._ "

"I suppose," Tracer said, watching Winston run down the sidewalk on all-fours with the cannon-like gun strapped to his back.

"He reminds me of older brother I once had," Zarya said, sitting behind Tracer and Zenyatta. "Was so strong he could punch down trees with bare hands. Didn't like violence, though, but was drafted to fight Omnics anyway."

"What happened to him?" Tracer wondered.

Zarya's eyes became misty. "He died along with rest of family."

"Oh, sorry," Tracer said looking astray.

"It's okay," Zarya responded, wiping her eyes.

" _Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?_ " Zenyatta said turning to face Zarya.

"By not talking to me," Zarya muttered and went to the back where Pharah was seated.

Zenyatta shook his head. " _To hold a grudge is unhealthy._ "

"Are you talking to me?" Hanzo asked, seated two seats back.

He was wearing a dark robe with one sleeve exposing a dragon-shaped tattoo on his naked left arm, matching pants, knee-length metallic boots, a blue metal brace, and a three-fingered glove. A blue sash was wrapped around his waist and a long yellow ribbon had been tied in his hair. The metallic bow and quiver of matching arrows Tracer had seen in Hanzo's room were lying on his lap and strapped to his back respectfully.

" _Not at all, Hanzo,_ " Zenyatta said nervously.

Hanzo huffed and stared at the back of the Omnic bus-driver's head.

###

Eventually, the Blue Team's bus reached the Adawe International Terminal where Mercy and McCree were waiting. Winston was there too, which relieved Tracer.

"All right, kids, listen up!" McCree said loudly after everyone had gotten off the bus. "I'm gonna briefly explain the rules to Payload before we get started."

No one said a word in response.

"Once you enter the Adawe Terminal, shields will go up and stay until the Competition starts. After that, make your way to Unity Plaza where the Payload is located. It's a yellow car with the Doomfist Gauntlet inside. Your mission is to deliver it to the Numbani Heritage Museum intact in five minutes. Fail to do this by the time the Competition ends, and you lose. Any questions?"

"What if someone tries to steal the Gauntlet?" Tracer said, which caused people to stare at her.

"I'll be monitoring the test to make sure that doesn't happen," McCree answered.

"And I will act as a standby nurse," Mercy added. "However, if your injuries are severe or even fatal then you'll be removed from the Competition immediately."

" _What about the civilians?_ " Zenyatta asked. " _Won't they get hurt in the conflict?_ "

"That's been dealt with," McCree said adjusting his hat. "We had all the civilians evacuate earlier this morning."

" _That's a relief,_ " Zenyatta said putting a hand on his chest.

"Any more questions?" When no one answered, McCree said. "Then I'll leave you to it. Might want to memorize the route before Athena starts the Competition."

Then the students entered Adawe Terminal while McCree, Mercy, and Ana left. Following a holographic line in the floor, the team made their way into the locker-room area where a bright yellow shield had been placed over the exit. Pharah immediately took charge and required everyone to list their abilities. Some were more reluctant than others, but everyone complied.

"Assuming that the Red Team will show up at Unity Plaza before we do, our best option is to go on the offensive," Pharah said, pointing to different areas on the map. "Tracer, you'll Blink ahead and let us know their formation. Then after you Recall back, I'll fly ahead and distract them with my Barrage attack. Winston, you and Zarya will lead the charge and shoot as many enemies down with your Tesla and Particle Cannons respectfully. Hanzo, you take care of Widowmaker before she shoots us with your arrows. In the meantime, Zenyatta will heal us with his Orbs of Harmony and confuse the enemy with Orbs of Discord."

"Who made you leader of our team?" Hanzo said folding his arms.

"I didn't see anyone else take a stance," Pharah responded.

"It seems like a solid plan," Winston interjected. "But shouldn't someone accompany Tracer in case she gets spotted by the enemy?"

"I'll be fine, Winston," Tracer responded. "If I get caught, I can always Recall."

"But how quickly can you Recall?" Hanzo wondered. "I've seen Widowmaker shoot before, and she's an excellent shot."

"I'd like to see her try," Tracer retorted.

" _Five…four…three…two…one…begin!_ " Athena's voice blared over the speakers.

As the shield went down Tracer, Pharah, Winston, Zarya, and Zenyatta went up the stairs while Hanzo went through the sliding door to the left.

 _Wonder where he's going,_ Tracer thought and was about to Recall when Pharah called her name.

"Get to the Payload," Pharah ordered. "Then head back as soon as possible."

"You got it!" Tracer said and Blinked forward.

No sooner than she did, an entire wall made of ice suddenly appeared before her. She stopped immediately and Recalled just as a bullet flew right at her chest. Fortunately, it missed but then the sound of laughter made Tracer look up. From an open window stood Widowmaker wearing a skin-tight purple bodysuit, black calf-length boots, and matching gloves.

"Bollocks!" Tracer cursed and Blinked back to Adawe as quickly as possible.

"Tracer!" Pharah exclaimed. "You are back sooner than I expected."

"I wasn't able to reach the Payload," Tracer answered breathlessly. "They've got a wall of ice blocking the street and I got shot at by Widowmaker."

"That must be Mei's doing," Pharah muttered. "Her Endothermic Blaster can generate solid ice that can be as high as one building floor. We'll have to break through it somehow."

"Winston and I can take care of wall," Zarya said picking up her Particle Cannon. "But I'm worried about Widowmaker."

"We'll need to deal with her first," Pharah muttered to herself. Then she looked around and shouted, "Hanzo! Where are you?"

When he didn't answer, Tracer went back into the locker-room area and entered through the sliding door. It led into a place called Kofi Aromo, which had a neon sign with a lion against a green background. Then next to the sliding door was a staircase, which Tracer ascended that led up to a walkway where Hanzo stood.

"What are you doing up here?" Tracer said getting his attention. "Didn't you hear Pharah?"

"I was…briefly distracted," Hanzo said, taking a hand away from his ear.

Tracer found this odd but decided to ignore it. "She called your name."

"For what purpose?"

"I'm not sure, but will you please come down?"

"Very well," Hanzo nodded and walked past Tracer.

Outside Adawe Terminal, Pharah explained the situation to Hanzo who seemed to nod with every word. Tracer attempted to circle around him to look at his ears, but a brief glare from him kept her from prying. Then several gun shots came flying down the street, forcing Pharah to take to the skies while Hanzo hid inside a nearby building. Winston and Zarya took cover behind an abandoned car as Tracer found herself shielding Zenyatta. He used his Orbs of Harmony to heal her injuries with every incoming bullet.

"LOL," D. Va giggled, appearing around a corner inside MEKA. "D. Va: 1, Bad Guys: 0!"

"Who says we've been defeated?" Tracer said, surprising D. Va. "I'm still here, aren't I?"

"But you're going to die soon, Noob!" D. Va said, as the MEKA's cannons started spinning once more. "Bye-bye!"

"Justice rains from above!" Pharah cried out as several rocket projectiles appeared from her legs and shoulders and rained down on D. Va.

D. Va just chuckled. "Time to raise my APM!"

A barrier suddenly appeared in front of MEKA's cockpit, which the rocket projectiles deflected off of. Surprised, Pharah landed in front of Tracer and raised her Rocket Launcher.

"Secure the Payload!" Pharah shouted to Tracer. "I'll take care of D. Va."

Surprised, Tracer said, "But Pharah—

" _Go in peace,_ " Zenyatta assured. " _I will protect Pharah._ "

Reluctantly, Tracer nodded and Blinked around D. Va down toward Unity Plaza.

To be continued…


	23. Stage 23: Trapped!

Stage 23: Trapped!

When Tracer got to Unity Plaza, the wall of ice was down but there was no one around.

"Odd," Tracer observed. "Either everyone's hiding or they left the Payload unguarded to deal with my team."

" _Four minutes remaining!_ " Athena announced.

"I should probably wait for the others to get here," Tracer said looking back. Then she turned to the yellow car with a glass tube on top containing a large metal gauntlet that seemed to hover inside. "But I might as well stand near the Payload."

Then as she jogged toward the Payload, she heard the creaking of metal and felt intense pain on her right leg.

"Gotcha!"

Looking down, Tracer noticed her leg was caught in a large steel bear-trap that was attached to a chain which was held by Junkrat who was grinning mischievously.

"Should've known you'd do something like this," Tracer muttered, trying to free her leg.

"Try as you may, my Steel Trap is unbreakable," Junkrat said. "Now stay put and let Genji handle the rest."

While Junkrat cackled, Genji emerged from the plaza shadow with his katana in hand.

" _Let's finish this quickly,_ " Genji said and charged forward.

"Looks like you need a time out!" Tracer said and pulled out the two handguns.

She fired them both simultaneously, but Genji was able to block every single bullet. Then just as he was about to strike Tracer, an arrow came flying from the roof causing him to catch it.

" _Hanzo,_ " Genji growled as he crushed the arrow in his hands. " _Where are you hiding?_ "

"Right here," Hanzo replied, standing on a walkway that was above the plaza. He had already loaded another arrow into the bow.

" _So this is what's become of you, a pity,_ " Genji said remorsefully as he pointed the katana at Hanzo. " _Are you too much of a coward to come down here and face me in person?_ "

"You will never amount to anything!" Hanzo responded, pulling the bowstring back.

" _We shall see, brother,_ " Genji replied holding his katana in a defensive stance.

This caused Hanzo to fire arrows at Genji, but like the bullets none of them penetrated him.

"I hate family squabbles," Junkrat said shaking his head. "They bring down the mood of things."

"Then maybe you should let me go so I can persuade Genji to stop," Tracer said, still trying to free her leg despite the bleeding.

Junkrat looked at Tracer's wound and said, "If you keep struggling, you'll bleed to death."

Angered, Tracer pointed one of her handguns at Junkrat's head. "Unclamp this bear-trap right now or I'll blow your brains out!"

"You wouldn't dare, chicken feet," Junkrat said smugly.

To prove her point, Tracer fired a bullet near Junkrat's head which became embedded in the wall beside him. Nervously, he pressed a button which caused the Steel Trap to fall apart. Limping slightly, Tracer made her way to Genji who was still deflecting arrows. Then she noticed a metal object with a smiley face doodled on fall next to her feet.

"This bomb's for you!" Junkrat grinned, pressing a detonator-shaped object.

The bomb exploded causing Tracer to be thrown sideways along with Genji. While Tracer writhed in pain on the ground, Genji managed to get up just as D. Va came running in her jumpsuit while Hanzo disappeared from the walkway.

" _You're not getting away from me this time!_ " Genji cried, putting the katana on his back and leaping into the air.

He barely landed on the walkway and disappeared as well.

"That was rude," D. Va huffed. "Where did Widowmaker, Mei, and Symmetra go?"

"They went back to the museum," Junkrat answered, looking down at Tracer as he walked past her. "I took care of this pest and Genji's taking care of the other."

"Good," D. Va said approvingly and then sighed. "Pharah, Winston, and Zarya were ganging up on me so I was forced to Self-Destruct MEKA."

"Can't you just get a new one?" Junkrat asked.

"It won't be for a while," replied D. Va.

"Wish I could've seen that MEKA blowing up," Junkrat said remorsefully. "You got anything to defend yourself with?"

"Not really," D. Va said shaking her head.

"Then you might as well stay with the Payload until the Competition ends."

D. Va grumbled. "Why did I have to get stuck with you? You're not the boss of me!"

"Fine," Junkrat said, pushing D. Va aside. "I'll guard the Payload, and you keep an eye on—

A sudden hail of rockets caused Junkrat and D. Va to be knocked out. Tracer looked over her shoulder and saw Pharah, Winston, Zarya, and Zenyatta standing near the bend in the street.

"Tracer!" Zarya called, running towards her along with the others.

"I don't believe it!" Tracer said, though she winced in pain. "Didn't D. Va blow MEKA up?"

"She did, and we were all knocked out," Winston said.

" _Luckily I moved far enough back to not get injured,_ " Zenyatta responded. " _So once the debris had cleared, I was able to heal everyone._ "

"But it took longer than we thought since Zenyatta can only heal one person at a time," Pharah said, though there was a hint of bitterness in her voice. "What happened to you?"

"I got caught in a bear-trap set up by Junkrat, and then Genji tried to attack me but Hanzo stopped him," Tracer explained while Zenyatta healed her injured leg. "Now they're off fighting somewhere and what's left of the Red Team is at the Numbani Heritage Museum."

"So they entrusted these two and Genji to stop us from getting Payload, while rest went back to base," Zarya said approaching the yellow car which suddenly started hovering.

"Sounds about right," Winston concurred.

" _Two minutes remaining!_ " Athen announced.

" _What should we do, Team Leader?_ " Zenyatta asked.

"We'll escort the Payload to the Museum," Pharah said joining Zarya by the car. "Zarya, Winston, you'll be in front. I will attack from the air. Zenyatta, you stay back to provide healing support. And Tracer…"

"Yeah?" Tracer said, moving her newly healed leg around.

"Find Hanzo and regroup with us when you have him," Pharah responded.

To be continued…


	24. Stage 24: Interruption!

Stage 24: Interruption!

Tracer found some stairs near Unity Plaza that led up to the walkway where Hanzo had been. On a balcony that overlooked the city with a golden rhino statue, Genji and Hanzo were continuing to battle each other. They were both speaking Japanese, so Tracer was baffled.

"Um, guys," Tracer said, trying to get their attention. "Will you please stop fighting?"

The two guys didn't seem to listen, and kept battling. Then they briefly paused to catch their breaths, giving Tracer the opportunity to step between them.

"Okay, this has gone far enough," Tracer said scoldingly. "You're costing both your teams the chance of victory because of this stupid grudge of yours!"

" _This…has nothing to do with you,_ " Genji said standing up straight. " _So stand aside and let me finish off the man who tried to kill me!_ "

"It was not my intention!" Hanzo snapped, getting Genji and Tracer's attention. "You wanted to selfishly run away! We could have built an empire together!"

Genji shook his head. " _That was your dream, not mine._ "

"I was only trying to please our father. You were a disgrace!"

" _A disgrace?_ " Genji said, and swung his sword while chanting the words, " _Ryuujin no ken wo kurae!_ "

The green dragon Tracer saw during the entrance exam emerged from Genji's sword and flew straight toward Hanzo.

In return Hanzo drew the last arrow from his sling, pulled it back, and shouted, " _Ryuu ga waga teki wo kurau!_ "

As Hanzo fired the arrow, a blue dragon with two heads appeared and engulfed the green dragon. In the commotion, Tracer was thrown back and found herself falling off the balcony. Instinctively, Tracer activated the Chronal Accelerator and Recalled back to right before she fell. She saw Genji turn and call her name as he was lying on the concrete floor of the balcony. Hanzo, on the other hand, was gritting his teeth and wide-eyed in shock as he was in the same position as Genji. Then time slowed down to normal, and Tracer was standing on the balcony's edge. Unfortunately, because of Tracer's uneven footing, she stumbled and was about to fall back when Genji suddenly got up and dashed forward at lightning speed. He pulled her towards him with one hand, and Tracer found herself pressed against his metallic chest.

" _I thought you were a goner,_ " Genji said, choking up slightly.

"It's okay," Tracer said, putting an arm around Genji's shoulder. "The Chronal Accelerator saved me at the last minute."

"You do realize he's on the opposite team, right?" Hanzo interjected.

Genji glared at him. " _Hanzo—_

"Cool it, mate," Tracer said, pushing Genji away.

Baffled, Genji watched silently as Tracer walked up to Hanzo and slapped him across the face.

Surprised, Hanzo held his cheek which was glowing red. "What was that for?"

"You endangered my life, nitwit!" Tracer snapped. "And I'm on _your_ team, for crying out loud!"

"But it was an accident," Hanzo retorted.

"Nevertheless, it's against the rules," McCree said, appearing from behind the rhino statue.

Genji flinched. " _You were watching the whole time?_ "

"Pretty much," McCree answered. "Now if you boys are done with your little spat, I suggest you get back into the game before time runs out."

" _One minute remaining!_ " said Athena.

Immediately, Tracer and Genji left the balcony. But when Hanzo tried to follow them, he was held back by McCree's hidden arm, which was robotic.

"Except for you, Hanzo," McCree said sternly. "For harming a fellow teammate, I have no choice but to dismiss you from the game."

"But he didn't mean to!" Tracer said, turning around.

"Doesn't matter," McCree responded. "If it hadn't been for your 'condition,' you would've died."

Tracer's eyes blinked. "How did you—

An explosion suddenly occurred a few blocks down. But with it came an invisible shockwave that knocked everyone off their feet.

"Ow!" Tracer said, rubbing her butt as she got up. "What was that?"

" _It came from the direction of the Numbani Heritage Museum,_ " Genji said, looking afar.

"I've got this one covered," McCree said nervously. "You three stay put. I'm gonna see what's going on over there."

Then he bounded down the stairs before anyone could stop him.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Tracer whined. "The game's almost over, and he expects us to stay here?"

" _Maybe he knows what's going on but doesn't want to tell us,_ " Genji suggested.

"But we shouldn't have to be treated like kids," replied Tracer. "We're teenagers, for god's sake!"

"Scourge?" Hanzo suddenly exclaimed a little further away. "Are you sure?"

"Who are you talking to?" Tracer asked, giving Hanzo an odd look.

"Uh, no one," Hanzo said, taking a hand from his ear like before.

" _Don't lie to us, brother,_ " Genji said irritably. " _We know all about your association with Widowmaker, who persuaded you to join the Competition and stop me from stealing the Doomfist Gauntlet which isn't true. Are you talking to her right now?_ "

Hanzo hesitated and then nodded. "She was trying to stop the Payload along with Mei and Symmetra when a man suddenly leaped down from a tall building. He then punched the ground with his fist, creating a shockwave that knocked down everyone and made the Payload explode."

"That's terrible!" Tracer shouted. "Who would do such a thing?"

" _Doomfist II, AKA The Scourge,_ " Genji answered. " _His real name is Akinjide Adeyemi. He was a pupil of the original Doomfist, who came to be known as The Savior because of his heroic deeds during the Omnic Crisis. However, after the founding of Numbani Doomfist strongly rejected having Omnics be equal to humans and vowed to destroy them all. This caused him to be hunted down by Overwatch and brought to justice by Winston, who was only a Freshman at the time. Then when Akinjide inherited Doomfist's name, he never received the Doomfist Gauntlet which was hidden somewhere else to keep him from using it like his predecessor did. Instead, he made his own version of the Doomfist Gauntlet and vowed to undermine the Omnic-human relationship that is present in this city._ "

"If that's the case, he must be after the Doomfist Gauntlet," Tracer realized.

"And what better time to steal it than Unity Day," Hanzo added. "With the original Doomfist Gauntlet and his own, he'll be unstoppable."

"So what are we standing around here for?" Tracer said anxiously. "Let's stop Scourge before he gets that Gauntlet!"

As Tracer Blinked down the stairs, Hanzo and Genji looked at each other briefly before following her.

To be continued…


	25. Stage 25: Unity!

Stage 25: Unity!

In front of the Numbani Heritage Museum, there was a large crater-shaped hole in the circular parking-lot. At its center stood a colossal man with dark skin, braided hair, wearing a dark green bulletproof vest and matching pants. While his right arm was bare, the other was covered by a metal gauntlet that went all the way up to his elbow. Before him lay a pile of bodies that were groaning in pain. Behind them stood the Payload, which was mostly intact except for the glass tube which had been shattered with the Doomfist Gauntlet now lying on top of the car hood.

"Finally," the man said, stepping out of the crater-shaped hole. "I shall take what is rightfully mine."

The click of a revolver caused the man to stop in his tracks. "Not so fast, partner."

McCree stepped from behind the car with his revolver pointed directly at the man's head.

"Mister McCree," the man said and noticed McCree's robot arm. "You look like you've seen better days. Did an Omnic do that to you?"

"A bomb, actually," McCree said, and got in front of the car hood. "Now if you'd kindly stand still while I call the police, I'd very much appreciate it."

"And tell them what?" the man asked mockingly. "I haven't killed anyone, nor stolen anything."

"But you caused damage to public property and attacked several students of Overwatch High."

"You call these 'students'?" The man chuckled. "They're just children with guns."

"Hey! I take offense to that!"

Tracer suddenly Blinked right next to McCree, causing him to flinch.

"I thought I told you to stay put," McCree said turning back to the man with the gauntlet.

"We wanted to help," Tracer answered.

"Who's 'we'?" McCree asked.

" _Us,_ " Genji said, appearing on the other side of the car hood with Hanzo. " _We're here to stop Scourge from taking the Doomfist Gauntlet._ "

"And what are you supposed to be?" the man said folding his arms. "A new type of Omnic?"

" _I am a cyborg,_ " Genji said and drew his sword. " _The name is Genji._ "

"Nice to meet you, Genji," the man said and held up his gauntlet-covered fist. "I am Doomfist II, but you may call me The Scourge."

Then in a split second, Scourge thrust his fist downward but Genji quickly struck him down with his katana. The blow seemed to dent Scourge's metallic vest, but not cause any actual damage. In turn, Scourge grabbed one of Genji's legs and tossed him aside. He hit a concrete platform next to a row of stairs, and landed on his side. Enraged, Tracer fired several bullets at Scourge but he blocked them with his gauntlet. Hanzo, meanwhile, went to check on Genji.

"Are you all right?" Hanzo asked helping Genji up.

" _I'm fine, brother,_ " Genji said assuringly. " _And since when did you care about my well-being?_ "

"Just now," Hanzo replied. "Genji, look out!"

Before Genji could react, he was pinned to the wall by Scourge. Immediately, Hanzo picked up an arrow from his refilled sling after collecting the ones he fired previously and aimed it at Scourge's head.

"You let my brother go this instant, or I will kill you!" Hanzo threatened pulling back the string.

"This freak doesn't deserve to live," Scourge said, tightening his grip on Genji's neck. "He looks like a machine, and I hate machines."

Then from a doorway down the street appeared Zenyatta. He was glowing bright yellow with four extra arms emerging from his body as the nine Orbs circled around him creating a globe-shaped aura. McCree got out of the way as Zenyatta hovered over the car and right into Scourge.

" _Pass into the Iris,_ " Zenyatta said as Scourge was thrown back and Genji was released.

Stunned, Hanzo dropped his bow and caught Genji mid-fall.

" _Victory!_ " Athena suddenly announced.

"The game's over, and we defeated Scourge!" Tracer cried out joyfully.

"But not the game," Widowmaker said, appearing out of an alcove next to the circular parking-lot.

"Widowmaker!" Tracer exclaimed. "Where were you the whole time?"

"Hiding," Widowmaker shrugged. "Since the Payload did not reach the Numbani Heritage Museum's parking-lot, my team automatically wins."

"But it's so close," Tracer argued, seeing the car was right on the parking-lot's edge.

"Let's discuss victories back at the school," McCree said, picking up the Doomfist Gauntlet. "Will someone run this inside while I restrain Scourge?"

"I'll do it!" Tracer said, raising her hand.

"Fine," McCree replied, tossing the Doomfist Gauntlet in Tracer's direction.

"No!" Scourge shouted, getting up. "The Doomfist Gauntlet is mine!"

"Bomb's away!"

A hand-grenade suddenly bounced off the pavement and exploded in Scourge's face causing him to fall and writhe in pain. As Tracer caught the Doomfist Gauntlet, which was surprisingly light, she saw D. Va standing behind the car in her newly repaired MEKA with Junkrat standing on top.

"Aw, looks like we missed the party," Junkrat said, watching as Zenyatta turned his attention to healing the other students with the yellow aura still around him.

"No fair!" D. Va whined from inside the cockpit. "Now I feel stupid for not kicking you off sooner, junk boy!"

"I'm a Junker, not a junk boy!" Junkrat shouted as he stomped his foot on MEKA's head. "Get it right, you little Gremlin."

Angered, D. Va caused one of MEKA's arms to fling Junkrat off. Fortunately, he caught himself and landed on his real foot.

"Much obliged," McCree nodded in Junkrat's direction. Then he walked over to Scourge. "You, on the other hand, are under arrest."

"You can't bind me," Scourge said, getting to his feet with a scorched face. "Not when I'm armed with my Gauntlet."

"My gift to you," Widowmaker said as she tossed a spider-shaped object onto Scourge's Gauntlet which exploded in a puff of gas causing him to pass out.

"What'd you hit him with?" McCree said as Tracer Blinked up to the museum's doors.

"A Venom Mine," Widowmaker responded casually. "If he's taken to a hospital in the next couple minutes, he'll live."

To be continued…


	26. Stage 26: Play of the Game!

Stage 26: Play of the Game!

After McCree called for an ambulance, the other teachers showed up. Mercy was surprised to find all the students fully healed, and thanked Zenyatta who looked exhausted.

"Because of your Orbs, you made my job easier during the game," Mercy said. "The only people that needed healing were Junkrat and D. Va."

"Then you tried to take us away when that explosion occurred," D. Va said, standing outside MEKA with her arms folded. "And now I wish that I had gotten here sooner."

"Same," Junkrat said limping slightly. "But at least I got to blow a few things up!"

"And our team won, which I'm super happy about!" D. Va said enthusiastically. "I wonder who's getting the Play of the Game trophy."

"Play of the Game?" Tracer asked. "What's that?"

D. Va gave Tracer the stink-eye. "It's an award given to the best player in the Competition, Noob! I read about it on the school website."

"How do you determine the best player?"

"By getting the most points in one of four categories: High Score, Lifesaver, Sharpshooter, or Shutdown," Pharah explained. "High Score is getting the most 'kills', though no one's actually died in these games, Lifesaver is when one player is able to save another from imminent death, Sharpshooter is being able to pull off difficult 'kills', and Shutdown is when another player kills another before he or she does a major attack."

"So when does the next round start?" D. Va asked Mercy. "There are two to five rounds per Competition, right?"

" _I'm sending you guys back to campus early and we'll start the second round next Friday,_ " Soldier: 76 said sternly.

"Come on!" Junkrat whined.

"No fair!" D. Va exclaimed. "Why can't we do the second round today?"

" _Because of Scourge's interference, the Payload was damaged and you all nearly got hurt,_ " Soldier: 76 said. " _Though he's incapacitated now thanks to Widowmaker's Venom Mine, I wouldn't put it past him to try and escape._ "

Once the ambulance arrived, Scourge was taken into the hovering vehicle by two Omnic paramedics while McCree and Soldier: 76 got in after them. Reinhardt followed the ambulance from behind, while Ana and Mercy directed the students to a bus that was parked nearby. This time, the bus-driver was human who kept looking at the strange assortment of passengers he had. However, Winston, Pharah, and Zarya were kicked off because their equipment exceeded the Maximum Weight Limit. So as the bus drove away, Pharah took to the air and followed it while Zarya and Winston ran to catch up.

On the way back, Tracer noticed a poster with Lúcio that said, 'Live Concert Tonight!'. "Is Lúcio a musician or something?"

"You've never heard of him?" D. Va said, turning her head back to face Tracer. "He's one of the most famous music artists in the world!"

"What kind of music does he play?" Tracer wondered.

"Electropop," D. Va answered. "He got started in Rio de Janeiro after the people rose against the Vishkar Corporation who were redeveloping large tracts of land there and imposing strict laws on civilians. _Sonhos Ômnicos_ was the song that made him an instant celebrity, and now he's touring to promote his first album which will be called _Synaesthesia Auditiva_."

"While still attending Overwatch High?"

"Yeah, isn't that amazing?"

"It's highly suspicious if you ask me," said a young woman who sat across from D. Va.

She had long silken black hair, dark eyes, and was wearing a blue dress with black-and-gray thigh-high boots, a white headset, a light-blue holographic visor, and shimmering blue earrings.

"Why do you say that, Symmetra?" D. Va asked.

"Don't you find it odd that a boy who grew up in the very region where the uprising occurred became famous after Vishkar was broken into by a mysterious thief?" the young woman known as Symmetra said.

"I'm not sure I follow," Tracer said butting into the conversation. "Are you saying Lúcio and this thief are somehow connected?"

"I wasn't suggesting anything," Symmetra pouted.

She then turned toward the window, revealing that one of her arms was made of white-coated metal which looked newer than McCree's robot arm.

 _So she has a metal arm too_ , Tracer thought staring at it. _Seems every cyborg I know is grumpy and unbelievably rude._

###

Back at Overwatch High, Tracer saw Lúcio on the television screens making announcements while footage from the Payload Competition played behind him.

"He seems to be enjoying himself," Tracer observed while Pharah and Zarya were eating dinner with heavy eyelids. "Was Lúcio always the announcer for Payload?"

"Since last year," Pharah said wearily. "It was his way of getting out of competing."

"He's never really shown off," Zarya added. "I had Weapons 101 with him last year, and he refused to present his final project in front of the class."

"Was Symmetra attending?" Tracer suddenly asked.

" _Da,_ " replied Zarya. "Why do you ask?"

"She made a weird observation on the bus-ride back," Tracer responded anxiously. "Saying it was funny that Lúcio became a celebrity during an uprising in Rio de Janeiro after a thief broke into Vishkar Corporation when they were stationed there."

Pharah gave Tracer an odd look. "You don't know?"

" _Attention, students,_ " Soldier: 76 said over the loud-speakers. " _There will be a short announcement from Athena regarding who gets Play of the Game for this round of the Payload Competition._ "

There was a brief moment of silence and then Athena's voice shouted, " _Play of the Game!_ "

On the television screens appeared an image of D. Va posing in front of MEKA while blowing bubblegum. She made a finger gun as the scene transitioned to her being ejected from MEKA's cockpit which flew right toward Winston, Zarya, and Pharah before exploding in a giant fireball. A few tables over from where Tracer and her roommates were seated, D. Va jumped out of her seat and loudly squealed for joy.

"That's bull!" Tracer frowned. "Zenyatta should've gotten Play of the Game for saving Genji from being choked to death by Scourge!"

"I guess they decided not to count it since Scourge wasn't part of the Competition," Pharah suggested.

"Even so, real heroics should be rewarded," Tracer said glaring at D. Va who was still squealing.

To be continued…


	27. Stage 27: Round Two!

Stage 27: Round Two!

A week later, the second round of the Payload Competition went underway as planned. While the team lineups stayed the same, they were given more information about the Payload. It turned out that the Doomfist Gauntlet which Scourge tried to get ahold of was actually a fake. The real one had been shipped into the Numbani Heritage Museum before Unity Day, but was being kept in a secret vault until the Mayor decided otherwise. In the meantime, the Red Team had to deliver the Payload while the Blue Team was on the defensive.

"This feels like a strange role reversal," Tracer said checking her handguns. "But it almost seems pointless to guard the Payload knowing that it's not real."

"Scourge doesn't know that, nor should he," Pharah said speaking softly. "And we shouldn't be talking about this so openly when there are hidden cameras watching us."

"There are?" Tracer looked around in confusion. "Where?"

"Why do you think they are called hidden cameras?" Hanzo responded, examining his arrows.

"I know what a hidden camera is, you jerk!" Tracer huffed.

"What did you say?" Hanzo glared at Tracer who met his gaze.

" _Please, stop,_ " Zenyatta said hovering between Tracer and Hanzo. " _We need to work as a team, not bicker amongst ourselves._ "

"Agreed," Winston replied, checking his Tesla Cannon. "It would be nice if my roommate and sister-in-law could get along, at least for the time-being."

Hanzo and Tracer sighed. "Fine."

" _Five…four…three…two…one…begin!_ " Athena announced.

Everyone took their positions with Hanzo standing on the balcony, Zarya and Winston guarding the Payload, Zenyatta hovering behind, Tracer scouting ahead, and Pharah hovering in the air. Like before, D. Va came charging down the street in MEKA which Zarya and Winston met by firing their cannons at her. In response, D. Va put up the shield that protected her from Pharah's Rocket Barrage which deflected the cannon-fire. However, this left the back of MEKA vulnerable which Pharah took advantage by firing a small rocket from her wrist which pushed MEKA forward causing it to loose balance.

"Now we're even!" Pharah shouted as MEKA fell onto its face.

"I'll just be leaving this here!" Junkrat said, placing a mine on Pharah as he leaped over her. "Tootles!"

The mine exploded causing Pharah to fall to the ground in a heap of crushed metal and broken wings. While D. Va steered MEKA back onto its feet, Junkrat used the same mine to launch himself above Zarya who fired several rounds at him. Meanwhile, Winston used his energy pack to launch himself into the air and knock Junkrat down. He was instantly crushed by Winston's weight, and unable to move because of it.

"Excuse me for…dropping in," Winston said snidely.

While Mercy took Junkrat and Pharah away, D. Va charged toward the Payload but was halted by Hanzo who fired several arrows at her. She put up the shield again, which allowed Tracer to shoot the scorched part of MEKA's back in order to damage it further. After enough rounds, MEKA fell apart causing D. Va to forcefully surrender.

" _Three minutes remaining!_ " Athena said.

"We're making good time," Tracer said enthusiastically.

A sudden _thud_ made Tracer look up at the balcony where Hanzo was no longer standing and there was a cloud of gas.

"Hanzo!" Tracer shouted.

"That's Widowmaker's Venom Mine," Winston said. "Which means—

Two shots rang out and Zarya and Winston were lying on the ground seemingly dead. A third shot was fired, but Tracer dodged it by Recalling to right before the shots were fired. She told Winston and Zarya to scatter, and the two bullets missed their intended targets this time. While this was going on, Tracer Blinked up the stairs to the balcony and found Windowmaker standing on the rhino statue with her sniper-rifle in hand.

"How could I have missed those shots?" Widowmaker muttered, and then looked down at Tracer. "You!"

"Long time no see," Tracer said while behind her Mercy was healing Hanzo with a staff that emanated bright yellow energy. "Is that anger I detect on your face?"

Widowmaker glared and picked her sniper-rifle up. "I don't get mad, I get even."

"You're welcome to try, but you'll never take me down," Tracer said preparing herself.

Immediately, Widowmaker's sniper-rifle fired several automatic rounds at Tracer. Using the Chronal Accelerator, Tracer was able to dodge every single one. Getting frustrated, Widowmaker stopped firing for a brief second and picked up a Venom Mine. She was about to throw it when an arrow fired by the newly healed Hanzo pierced her arm causing her to drop the mine which exploded below the rhino statue.

Tracer turned to Hanzo and said, "I could've dodged that, you know."

"Your disk is not glowing," Hanzo pointed out abruptly.

"Shoot! You're right!" Tracer said glancing down.

"What does that mean?" Hanzo asked.

"It means—

"Tracer!" Zarya cried. "We could use some help down here!"

"What's going on?" Tracer walked over to the edge of the balcony and saw Zarya being hit by a light beam coming from a metal device Symmetra was holding while Winston was being assaulted by icicles that were coming from Mei's Endothermic Blaster.

"I'll shoot Symmetra's Photon Projector," Hanzo said pulling out another arrow. "You just concentrate on disarming Mei."

Not bothering to question how Hanzo knew the device Symmetra was holding, Tracer aimed one of her handguns at Mei's hand and the other at the tank attached to her back. She fired the guns simultaneously which hit their targets. As for Hanzo's, the arrow caused the Photon Projector to short out which forced Symmetra to drop it. Then when the two attempted to retreat, Hanzo and Tracer ran down from the balcony and blocked them.

" _One minute remaining!_ " Athena abruptly said.

"You got what's coming to ya!" Tracer said pointing her handguns at the two women.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Hanzo added.

Behind Mei and Symmetra, D. Va attempted to reach the Payload but was stopped by Winston who tackled her to the ground.

"Playtime's over," Winston said, using his massive hand to keep D. Va down.

Junkrat then suddenly appeared holding his spiked rubber-tire. "You won't get rid of me that easily. Fire in the hole!"

He set it on the ground, pulled a chain, which sent it rolling toward Winston.

In that split second, Zarya shouted, " _Ogon po gotovnosti_ (Fire at will) _!_ "

She launched something from her Particle Cannon which created a dark energy field that not only drew Junkrat in but also Mei, Symmetra, and the tire. Hanzo and Tracer were being drawn to it as well but Tracer managed to Recall a few seconds back to pull Hanzo back up the stairs before Zarya did her attack. This time, the tire exploded inside the field causing everyone to be injured inside it.

" _Victory!_ " Athena said once the dark energy field had dispersed.

"We did it!" Tracer exclaimed and suddenly hugged Hanzo which surprised him.

"I'm not comfortable with this," Hanzo said, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, sorry," Tracer said as she let go.

While Tracer walked over to Unity Plaza, Hanzo followed next to her. "Did you Recall before Zarya launched that thing at Junkrat?"

"Course I did," Tracer replied brashly.

"So I guess now we are even," Hanzo noted.

"Yeah, though I hate to admit it."

"If you're still mad at me for betraying our team under Widowmaker's influence, I understand."

"Were you in cahoots with her this time?"

"No, I broke off our association when she talked to me this past week. That would probably explain why she threw a Venom Mine at me."

"Makes sense. She doesn't strike me as the forgiving type."

"Then do you forgive me?"

"Only if you promise to make things up with your brother."

"That won't be easy."

"I know, but I'm not asking much. Just spend time with him every now and then."

"I'll try."

"Good."

Satisfied, Hanzo went over to Winston while Tracer walked toward Zarya.

"Hey, Zarya, what was that thing you threw?" Tracer asked.

"It was gravity bomb," Zarya answered. "Absorbs anything nearby inside its field while also dealing damage. It's an Ultimate Move I like to call Graviton Surge."

"Wicked!" Tracer said excitedly.

"Seems you made up with Hanzo," Zarya noticed.

"Sort of," Tracer responded as she looked around. "I wonder where Zenyatta went to."

"He's been hiding inside hotel behind Payload," Zarya said, thumbing toward a glass window.

Tracer saw the outline of Zenyatta inside but also another. "Is that…Genji?"

" _Da_ ," Zarya nodded.

"Shouldn't either of them have fought at this point?"

"That's what I thought too, but they never did throughout whole game."

"Odd."

Inside, Genji and Zenyatta seemed to be quietly talking until McCree showed up. He broke the two up and forced them outside.

"You boys are getting docked points for not participating in the game," McCree said scoldingly.

"Don't be too harsh on them, McCree," Mercy said as she was busy healing the students that were caught in the Graviton Surge. "They are friends, after all."

McCree scuffed. "There's no such thing as friends on the battlefield. You're either enemies or allies, and that's it."

Hanzo briefly looked over at Genji, but turned away as soon as they made eye-contact. Tracer, meanwhile, was intrigued by Zarya's confused look as she saw McCree dragging Genji and Zenyatta away.

 _Maybe she's finally realizing that Omnics aren't so bad after all,_ Tracer thought. _At least, that's what I hope. As for Hanzo and Genji…they're a work-in-progress. But I'm glad I got the ball rolling._

To be continued…


	28. Stage 28: Bonds and Breakouts!

Stage 28: Bonds and Breakouts!

"Why didn't you attack Zenyatta during the game?" Tracer asked Genji a few days after the second round of the Payload Competition ended.

" _I couldn't bring myself to fight my own Master,_ " Genji said, bowing his head slightly low. " _Despite all the times I fought him before._ "

" _Those were for practice,_ " Zenyatta corrected. " _The Shambali Temple rules stated that a pupil should never raise a fist towards his master except during a monitored fight._ "

"But the Payload Competition was a monitored fight," Tracer pointed out. "You could've fought to your hearts' content out there!"

" _If the situation demands it, then I fight,_ " Genji said as he picked up a cup of tea Zenyatta just gave him. " _Otherwise, I don't._ "

He was about to lift up his helmet when a sudden knock came from the main door. Zenyatta hovered over to the door and opened it slightly. Then without hesitation, Zenyatta swung the door open revealing Hanzo who was wearing a dark-blue hoodie with a light-blue dragon design and matching dark-blue shorts and brown sandals.

" _Oh, it's you,_ " Genji said looking away.

" _That is no way to greet your brother, Genji,_ " Zenyatta said disapprovingly. " _Now turn around and say, 'hello' to him._ "

Sighing, Genji turned and said hesitantly, " _H-Hello, Hanzo,_ "

"Nice to see you too, Genji," Hanzo said, not making eye-contact with his brother as he sat in the space between Genji and Tracer.

"So you two have started hanging out?" Tracer asked while Zenyatta poured some tea for Hanzo.

"Since the Payload Competition ended," Hanzo said as he took the cup of tea from Zenyatta's outstretched hand. "Winston insisted that I come here, so I did begrudgingly."

"I see," Tracer said taking a sip from her cup. "What did you think of Zarya winning Play of the Game for the second round? Pretty cool, right?"

" _Wasn't it because she won in the Shutdown category?_ " Zenyatta asked. When Tracer nodded, Zenyatta responded, " _I thought it was the High Score category because of how many 'kills' that tire explosion caused._ "

Genji tediously lifted his helmet and sipped the tea slowly before answering. " _The tire was Junkrat's weapon, not Zarya's, so it didn't count._ "

" _Oh, that makes sense,_ " Zenyatta replied.

###

Later, Tracer and Zarya took a bus to Savior Hospital which had a statue depicting the original Doomfist out front. Inside, they asked to see Pharah who had been recovering there since Junkrat's Concussion Mine had caused her to crash. It damaged her combat suit to where she couldn't get out, so Torbjörn had to use his Forge Hammer to break the suit apart. Then once that was done, Mercy discovered small pieces of metal in Pharah's back and took her to the hospital for surgery. The doctors were able to remove the metal fragments successfully before Mercy healed Pharah with her Caduceus Staff.

When Tracer and Zarya reached the room Pharah was currently residing in, they heard loud noises coming from the other side. While Zarya stood back, Tracer quietly opened the door. She was surprised to see Ana sitting right next to Pharah's bed and the two seemed to be arguing.

"Absolutely not, Fareeha!" Ana snapped. "I won't allow you to work for Helix Security International while you're still in school!"

"But they have an educational program for young recruits, mother!" Pharah responded angrily. "I could drop out of Overwatch High and take their online classes while I'm working for them."

"The minimum age for recruitment is eighteen."

"That's what Okoro told me too, but he might try to persuade them to hire me anyway because of my relation to you."

"Why do you want to leave now? Is because you're still mad at me?"

"My performance during this year's Payload Competition was pathetic. My team strategies didn't work and I was put out of commission by two freshman!"

"Don't beat yourself up over it," Ana said, stroking Pharah's hair. "There is always next year."

Pharah swatted Ana's hand away. "Stop treating me like a child! I'm not the same girl you left six years ago!"

"I know that, Fareeha, and I'm proud of how much you've accomplished."

Instead of answering, Pharah turned away from Ana and noticed Tracer peeking in through the door. Embarrassed, Pharah pulled the curtain next to the bed which hid her from Tracer's view while Ana stood up. She walked over to Tracer and gently shoved her out of the room while closing the door behind her.

"Pharah does not wish to see anyone at the moment," Ana told Tracer and Zarya who both seemed surprised. Then she glared at Tracer and said, "I will be seeing you tomorrow in my office after class."

As Ana walked down the hallway, Zarya asked, "What did you do?"

"I saw something I wasn't supposed to see," Tracer said cautiously. "But I'll tell you back at the dorm."

A series of loud screams and gunshots suddenly drew Tracer and Zarya's attention. Ana heard them too as she immediately ran down the stairs to her left. Curious, Tracer and Zarya followed where the screams and shooting grew louder. On the floor below were several bodies both human and Omnic strewn about with their heads blown off. Further down the hall a door had been forced open, leading Ana to investigate. She went into the room briefly, and immediately took off in the direction of the shooting which was growing fainter.

"Where is she going?" Zarya wondered.

"I'm not sure, but I intend to find out," Tracer said and took off after Ana before Zarya could stop her.

Blinking ahead to catch up to Ana, Tracer saw her turn down an adjacent hallway which was then followed by a gunshot. Concerned, Tracer creeped over to the hallway and was nearly hit by a hail of bullets before ducking to the other side. She peeked around and saw Ana hiding behind a doorframe while a looming figure wearing a dark-hooded jacket and skull-faced mask was firing bullets from a large silver handgun. Behind the figure ran a person wearing a doctor's uniform and bouffant which covered their hair pushing a mobile hospital bed with Scourge's unconscious body strapped to it. There were also a couple of bodies lying on the floor who looked pale and shriveled up, which made Tracer wonder what happened to them.

The looming figure stopped firing his handgun and glanced back at the person wheeling Scourge who was starting to turn down another hallway. This allowed Ana to fire a dart from her wrist at the looming figure, but he suddenly turned into black mist which caused the dart to pass through him and hit the person in the back. As the person suddenly keeled over, the looming figure reappeared right next to them. After removing the dart, the figure placed the person over his shoulder and he pushed the hospital bed down the adjacent hallway with Scourge still on it. Ana shouted something in Arabic and ran after the looming figure. Instead of following her, Tracer decided to examine the bodies.

 _No signs of external damage,_ Tracer observed without touching the bodies. _But they're not breathing, so they must be dead._

To be continued…


	29. Stage 29: Questions and Concerns!

Stage 29: Questions and Concerns!

By the time Ana turned down the adjacent hallway, the masked man was gone along with his accomplice and Scourge. She immediately contacted Soldier: 76 and told him to alert the city authorities of Scourge's escape. Soldier: 76 abided by this and agreed to send Mercy over to the hospital once he learned of the casualties. Meanwhile, Tracer had finished examining the two unusually dead bodies and almost ran into Ana as she came from the adjacent hallway.

"What are you doing here?" Ana demanded. "You could've gotten killed!"

"I'm fine, Ana," Tracer said assuringly. "But who was that man and why did he take Scourge?"

"I don't know, and that's what worries me," Ana replied solemnly.

"Tracer!" Zarya exclaimed running toward her. "You took off without me."

"Sorry, Zarya," Tracer apologized. "I got too excited, I guess."

Ana glanced at a nearby clock which struck 6:00 and said, "Soldier: 76 should be here soon. I want you two to tell him everything that happened from your perspective so that we may find Scourge and his kidnapper much sooner."

"Okay," Tracer said with a twinge of guilt.

"Understood," Zarya nodded.

###

" _Are you sure the bodies were like this when you showed up?_ " Soldier: 76 asked Tracer as he knelt down to examine the two withered corpses.

"Positive," Tracer said firmly. "I walked up to this hallway just as the masked man started shooting at Ana who was hiding behind a door niche."

" _Did the man see you?_ "

"I think so, but I avoided his bullets by running to the other side of the hallway and hiding behind a wall."

" _Were you injured?_ "

"No."

Unconvinced, Soldier: 76 pressed a button on the side of his visor and said, " _Mercy. I'd like you to examine Tracer's body and some corpses over here when you can._ "

"I'm fine, Jack, really."

" _We can't be too sure,_ " Soldier: 76 replied as he got up. " _You said the man turned into black mist when Ana tried to shoot him with a Sleep Dart, correct?_ "

"Yeah."

" _Did the mist disperse or move in your direction?_ "

"It seemed to linger in one spot before vanishing altogether and reappearing next to the accomplice, who was hit by the Sleep Dart instead, which then transformed into the guy who picked the accomplice up and took off with Scourge."

" _And did you try pursuing him?_ "

"I stayed here and looked at the bodies before Ana came back."

" _Was Ana aware that you were following her?_ "

"No, and if she did I didn't get that when she was cornered by the guy."

" _Why did you follow her? Was it curiosity?_ "

"Kind of," Tracer answered. When Soldier: 76 raised an eyebrow, Tracer sighed. "Yes, I was curious. Is that a crime?"

" _It put you in danger, and if the Chronal Accelerator had gotten damaged in the process—_

"Hello!" Mercy said, interrupting Soldier: 76.

She was wearing the same outfit from the Payload Competition which included angel-like wings, a white and gold-colored dress, black gloves and matching knee-length boots, and a golden halo above her forehead. In her right hand she carried a white metal staff which was taller than her.

Startled by Mercy's presence, Soldier: 76 said, " _Don't scare me like that! I was in the middle of an interrogation!_ "

"From the sounds of it, you were expressing your concern for Tracer more than trying to get information out of her," Mercy said stepping past Soldier: 76 toward Tracer. "Now on a scale from 1 to 10, how is your pain?"

"One," Tracer said as Mercy looked at her from top to bottom and from every angle.

"There appear to be no external wounds," Mercy concluded and then she pointed her staff in Tracer's direction as three metal plates unfolded. "But I'll patch you up with the Caduceus Staff just in case there are internal ones."

A beam of yellow light shot from Mercy's staff and hit Tracer. She felt very warm in a pleasant sense as her anxiety seemed to melt away instantly.

When the beam died down, Mercy smiled. "Congratulations! You're fully healed!"

"Thanks, Doc," Tracer said.

" _Can you work the same miracle on these two?_ " Soldier: 76 said, indicating the withered corpses that still lay on the floor.

When Mercy looked at them, she suddenly panicked and dropped the Caduceus Staff.

" _What's wrong?_ " Soldier: 76 asked. Then he noticed Mercy shivering and grasped her shoulders. " _Speak to me, Angela!_ "

"I-I'm fine," Mercy said snapping out as she picked up the Caduceus Staff gingerly. "I was just…startled by the bodies, is all."

" _You've never been startled by a dead body in all the time I've known you,_ " Soldier: 76 pointed out. " _What makes these ones any different?_ "

"It's been a long night, Jack," Mercy replied and held her hand up. "Heroes Never Die!"

Two beams of light shot up from the corpses, causing their bodies to be no longer shriveled and their normal skin tones were restored as well. When neither of the bodies moved, Mercy knelt down and checked their pulses.

" _How are they?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

"Still dead," Mercy answered bluntly.

" _What?_ " Soldier: 76 exclaimed.

"While they may seem perfectly healthy, their cells are rapidly degrading," Mercy explained as she used the Caduceus Staff to show a microscopic image of a cell breaking apart. "In a few minutes, they'll be reduced to the same shriveled corpses as before."

" _Do you know what's causing this to happen?_ "

Mercy hesitated before answering. "I'll need to examine the corpses carefully to determine how they died, but I can see that I have my work cut out for me."

" _Then get to it!_ " Soldier: 76 commanded. " _We've been too busy dealing with Talon to figure out what this strange affliction is that's been reported in five other places around the world. If it's some kind of new disease, then we might have more than Talon to deal with. Do I make myself clear?_ "

"Yes, Jack," Mercy nodded, though Tracer noticed she was worried.

 _Is she still shaken up by the bodies or something else?_ Tracer wondered as Soldier: 76 escorted her to the hospital foyer where Zarya was waiting.

" _Since it's late, I will personally take you two back to the dorms at school,_ " Soldier: 76 said after Tracer and Zarya had reunited.

"There is no need to do that," Ana said, appearing behind Tracer and Zarya. "I will take them back."

Surprised, Soldier: 76 said, " _You sure, Ana?_ "

"Yes," Ana nodded and glanced at Tracer. "We have a lot of things to discuss."

To be continued…


	30. Stage 30: Family Ties!

Stage 30: Family Ties!

Reluctantly, Tracer and Zarya followed Ana into a hovering green taxi driven by no one.

"Where's the driver?" Tracer asked.

"It's a self-driven taxi," Ana explained getting into the passenger's side. "You type in your destination, and the car will drive itself there."

"Wow," Tracer said in awe as she got into the backseat.

"Who knew cars were this advance in Numbani?" Zarya observed as she sat next to Tracer.

The low roof of the car made Zarya tilt her head sideways. While Tracer tried not to laugh, Ana finished putting in the coordinates for the school and slammed the door.

"You can adjust your seat by pressing the blue button beneath the car window," Ana said.

Zarya found the blue button and pressed it, causing her seat to lower slightly which allowed her head to fit. Satisfied, everyone buckled their seat-belts as the car hovered out of the parking-lot near Savior Hospital. It was raining just as heavily as when Tracer and Zarya first showed up, only the sky was darker as the sun had gone down two hours ago. There were flashes of lightning every now and then, but none of the car's passengers were concerned.

"Now listen to me very closely," Ana suddenly said, craning her neck back toward Zarya and Tracer. "You must promise to never tell anyone what happened at Savior Hospital until more information has been attained regarding the identity of the masked man and what he hopes to accomplish by kidnapping Scourge. Also, whatever is said in this car _stays_ in this car. Understood?"

Without hesitation, Tracer and Zarya nodded in unison.

Ana turned away and began speaking a low melancholic voice. "A long time ago, there was a young woman named Ana Amari who lived in Cairo, Egypt with her husband and his family. They were both from long-standing military families, and so their relatives encouraged them to marry. Naturally, they did and soon Ana became pregnant. However, her husband was constantly absent as he was a member of the Egyptian Military's sniper team. This made Ana jealous as she too wanted to be a part of the Egyptian Military but women weren't allowed to enlist as soldiers at the time.

"But that all changed when a God Program called Anubis was activated in a temple on the Giza Plateau near Cairo. While this was happening, Ana was going into labor. Her husband had been called away to support the troops who were fighting an onslaught of reawakened Omnics and his family were too busy fleeing the city, so she was left alone to give birth to her child. It was a terrible time as the building was constantly bombarded by enemy fire, and the sounds of men dying made Ana think that her husband was dead. Then just when she thought all was lost, an angel appeared along with a knight in shining armor. The angel told Ana everything would be fine and helped her deliver the baby while the knight shielded both of them.

"Afterwards, Ana was blessed by the sight of a beautiful baby girl lying next to her. Her husband was now in the same room along with the angel. He apologized for not being present, but Ana forgave him and named the baby Fareeha which means 'happy' in Arabic. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Military had suffered numerous casualties due to armed robots which had emerged out of the omnium factories along with the reawakened Omnics. Nicknamed 'Bastions', these death-machines could mow down dozens of soldiers due to their ability to transform into different artillery weapons. So as a result, the Egyptian Military was now reduced to a third of its size and was forced to recruit every able-bodied man and woman.

"Once Ana no longer needed to breastfeed the baby, she immediately volunteered for the military though her husband was initially against it. She underwent intense training to become a sniper and soon proved herself to be one of the best in the team her husband was on. This impressed her husband so much that he saw Ana as more than just a wife. But a dangerous mission forced Ana into a difficult position as an omnium factory was set to detonate though her husband was still inside it. While she waited patiently for him to get out, her superior was getting anxious. Fearing that the Omnics would find out and deactivate the bombs themselves, Ana's superior ordered her to push the detonator with the threat of death. So she had no choice but to do it which killed her husband in the process.

"She received many medals for her acts of bravery, but Ana was empty inside. Without her husband, she felt lonely and guilty of his death. So Ana thought of dedicating the rest of her life to Fareeha, who was now starting to walk and speak words, when an amazing opportunity presented itself. The United Nations, realizing the Omnic threat was bigger than they had imagined, decided to pull together an experimental strike-team who would be tasked with shutting down every God Program in the world while aiding other countries in fighting back the Omnics. Already, they had hired two genetically enhanced soldiers from America, a German veteran who wore experimental armor, a Chinese soldier, a Swiss female doctor, and a Swedish engineer. Now all they needed was a sniper to round out the group, which Ana accepted gladly while still taking care of Fareeha.

"Though the Americans and Swede weren't particularly fond of having another woman in the group, they gradually accepted Ana along with the German man and Swiss woman who happened to be the same knight and angel that were present at Fareeha's birth. Together, this group took down all the God Programs and defeated the Omnics. With that, Ana assumed the fighting was over and she could now have Fareeha live a normal life, who had been brought along during several missions while the other members of the group looked after her. But then a new threat came along in the form of Talon, which forced Ana into battle once more. During a hostage situation, though, she was taken out by a mysterious sniper and was presumed dead.

"Then by some miracle, Ana was restored back to life. But it came at a price as her right eye was missing, her hair had gone from black to white, and her daughter was no longer present. To protect her from those who killed Ana, Fareeha was sent to live with Ana's family and she was now about to enter high-school. With the establishment of Overwatch High and having gained a new position as a teacher, the new Ana decided to invite her daughter to attend. Little did Ana realize that her daughter had grown to resent her mother, first for dying and then coming back without telling her. Yet Fareeha came to the school anyway, much to Ana's delight though the barrier between them grew more with each passing month."

"And now your daughter wants to leave you for good, right?" Tracer interrupted suddenly.

Ana hesitated briefly before answering. "So you _were_ listening to the conversation I had with Pharah."

Tracer flinched. "Is that why you told us this story? To get me to confess that I was eavesdropping?"

"Exactly," Ana replied coldly.

"Couldn't you have just asked?" Zarya wondered.

"If I did, then you would ask questions afterward regarding my life-story. So I thought of getting the life-story out of the way before getting to the point."

Zarya scratched her head in confusion. "I'm not sure I get it."

"You don't have to, but if this information were to fall into the wrong hands it would endanger me as well as my daughter. So don't ever _think_ about telling another soul what I've said! Do I need to repeat myself?"

"No, ma'am," Tracer said shaking her head.

Zarya did the same without speaking.

The rest of the drive back was silent, even after Tracer and Zarya got out of the car. They caught a glimpse of Roadhog emptying a trash-bin, but didn't linger for too long in case he might spot them. Then the two hurried back to the girls' dormitory as the rain came down harder followed by the sharp _crack_ of thunder.

To be continued…


	31. Stage 31: Assembly and Confession!

Stage 31: Assembly and Confession!

The following day, there was a school-wide assembly in the auditorium hosted by Soldier: 76 and the other teachers.

" _Is everyone accounted for?_ " Soldier: 76 asked Liao, who nodded in turn. Then Soldier: 76 turned to the students who sat nervously in their seats and said, " _Now the reason I have gathered you all here today before classes start is because the Mayor of Numbani has ordered a citywide alert regarding Doomfist II, or The Scourge as he's commonly known. If you recall, he attacked several students who were participating in the Payload Competition in order to obtain the Doomfist Gauntlet. However, he was thwarted by Widowmaker who threw a mine at him filled with toxic gases which knocked him out cold. As a result, he was sent to Savior Hospital to have the poison removed from his body while being constantly monitored by Numbani policemen._

" _Last night, someone abducted Scourge while he was unconscious. We don't know the kidnapper's identity or the accomplice who aided him. Ana valiantly tried to prevent them from escaping, but they managed to flee from the hospital with Scourge and have disappeared without a trace. There's a strong possibility they're still in the city, hence the Mayor's citywide alert, and the two kidnappers may be affiliated with Talon but we're not sure about that. Nevertheless, everyone is required to stay on campus for the next few days until either the kidnappers and/or Scourge are found and if you see any suspicious-looking persons lurking around the school let me or any of the teachers know immediately. Here is a rough depiction of the lead kidnapper based on witness testimony._ "

Behind Soldier: 76 appeared a holographic image of a tall man wearing black from head to toe, a skull-faced mask, claw-like gloves, with ammo strapped to his thighs and chest, and brandishing two large handguns.

 _Yeah, that looks about right_ , Tracer thought. _But I do wonder…_

###

After Tracer had finished lunch early, she decided to pay a visit to Mercy's office. Inside, she found the same portrait that got her attention before with younger versions of Soldier: 76, Reinhardt, Mercy, McCree, Torbjӧrn, and Ana on it. Briefly, Tracer looked at the little girl standing in front of Ana and realized it was Pharah because of the braided hair and face. Then she noticed the tall man next to Ana who wore black and partially obscured his face with a hood.

 _So it wasn't my imagination,_ Tracer thought looking at the tall man carefully. _The man who kidnapped Scourge_ does _resemble this guy, whoever he is._

"Can I help you with something?" Mercy asked, standing in the doorway to the office.

"Oh, hi!" Tracer responded, backing away from the portrait. "Are you, um, busy?"

"Not at the moment," Mercy replied calmly.

Tracer sat down in the chair opposite from Mercy's desk and said, "I'd like to talk to you about some things that are very private."

"That's what I'm here for," Mercy said, and sat behind her desk.

In the thirty minutes that followed, Tracer told Mercy everything that happened the night before from the eavesdropping to the car-ride back. Mercy listened, but never said a word the whole time.

"So now I don't know what to do with this information," Tracer said after she finished telling her story. "Should I tell Pharah about it or not?"

"You said she's avoided talking about her origin story, right?"

"Yes, and when she caught me listening to her and Ana at the hospital she pulled the curtains in front of her."

"Why does that worry you?"

"It means she's probably not going to speak to me ever again."

"Don't assume that. She was naturally surprised to see you, and maybe embarrassed since you caught her at a bad moment."

"How do you know? She's obviously been trying to keep her relation to Ana a secret for a while and I'm probably the first person to know the whole story."

"All the teachers at Overwatch High know Ana and Pharah's connection, including myself and McCree."

"What about Roadhog?"

"He's the only one who doesn't know."

"But you're all teachers, so it's your job to know these things. Pharah clearly didn't want any of her classmates or roommates to find out."

"Did Ana indicate why Pharah feels this way?"

"No, but she thinks Pharah is angry at her for dying one moment and then being alive again."

"I think there's more to it than that," Mercy said as she swerved her chair toward the portrait and looked at the younger Pharah. "Can you imagine how differently Pharah would've been treated if she told everyone who her mother was?"

"She'd be ostracized for sure."

Mercy nodded in response. "So it's possible that she decided to keep her family legacy a secret in order to be treated like a normal girl."

"But there was a time when Pharah did tell me about her mother, without saying who she was, and claimed she'd died. Then when I asked her and Zarya for money on renting weapons for the Payload Competition, she brought up that her mother gives her allowances. Naturally, I was confused but then she denied saying it afterward."

"Hmm, then perhaps Ana is right."

"You were responsible for bringing Ana back to life, right?"

"Partially, but it was also her strong will to live."

"Why didn't you tell Pharah sooner?"

"Soldier: 76 feared that whoever tried to kill Ana might try again if they found out she wasn't dead and possibly go after her daughter, so he ordered all of us to not to say a word about it. Then to assure Ana's safety further, he had her undergo plastic surgery to make her look older hence the white hair and wrinkles. I offered to heal her missing eye, but Ana decided to keep it as a reminder of her carelessness during the hostage situation."

"Then why was Ana allowed to reveal herself to her daughter last year?"

"Because Ana believed Pharah would be safe at Overwatch High with her, which was proven wrong by the explosion at the Swiss Headquarters of Overwatch."

"Yeah, I'm sure that diminished Pharah's trust in Ana further and now she's trying to drop out of Overwatch High and work for something called Helix Security International."

"It's a private service that protects military bases all over the world and quarantines remaining God Programs including Anubis."

Tracer's eyes widened. "Is Anubis still active?"

"It's dormant for now but there's a high chance that it could activate again."

"Then what does Pharah hope to accomplish by joining Helix when she could do just as much good in Overwatch?"

"My guess is that she either wants to get away from her mother or hopes to surpass her quicker."

"So what should I do?"

"Just be a good friend to her, no matter what happens."

"All right, I'll try." Tracer got up and was about to head out the door when she looked back. "By the way, who is that?"

Mercy looked at where Tracer was pointing, which was the tall man next to Ana in the portrait. "That's…Gabriel Reyes, though everyone called him Gabe. He was one of Overwatch's founders and Jack's – I mean, Soldier: 76's best friend."

"It's okay if you say his real name in my presence," Tracer said. "I am his adopted daughter, after all. But I've never heard Jack talk about Gabe before. Did something happen?"

"As time went on, their friendship grew weary. While Jack got to be the principal of Overwatch High when it was established, Gabe ended up being a teacher and nothing more. It also didn't help that Gabe resented Jack for taking credit of heroic deeds that Overwatch had accomplished as a group. This resentment escalated and the two started fighting quite frequently. Then the Swiss Headquarters explosion happened, and while Jack made it out alive Gabe didn't."

"Gosh," Tracer said quietly. "I remember last year when me and Winston had to go to Jack's 'funeral' because he wanted to convince everyone he was dead. That's when he started wearing that mask, which made people stare at him as they passed by his grave. Then he walked to a small white cross with no name on it and saluted. Later, I asked him about it and he said that the salute was for 'an old friend.'"

"He was probably referring to Gabe."

"Do you know why Jack was forced to fake his own death?"

"There was some…speculation that the explosion was caused by agents of Talon who had intended to kill Overwatch's top agents including Jack."

"So he was forced to go into hiding. I know he got plastic surgery since his hair went from blond to white and those scars—

"The scars were from the explosion. But like Ana's missing eye, he kept them to show how his pride got the better of him."

"In what way?"

The warning bell suddenly rang, forcing Tracer to leave.

To be continued…


	32. Stage 32: Speculation and Apology!

Stage 32: Speculation and Apology!

Using the Chronal Accelerator, Tracer was able to make it to Criminal Psychology in time before McCree even noticed her. She sat next to the seat Pharah usually occupied, which was now empty. While Ana wrote several things on the white-board, Tracer caught her glancing at the empty seat every few seconds.

 _She must be really worried about Pharah_ , Tracer thought to herself. _Can't blame her._

Once Ana was done writing, she said, "All right, class, today we will be discussing the incident at Savior Hospital in order to employ what we've been learning these past two weeks which is—

"Motivation!" The class said in unison.

"Yes, and what do I mean by Motivation? Widowmaker?"

Widowmaker's eyes were half-closed and she didn't respond to Ana's question.

Noticing this, Ana shouted, "Widowmaker!"

This caused Widowmaker to suddenly sit up straight and say, "What?"

"I asked you to tell me what Motivation is."

"In regard to this class?"

Ana nodded.

Widowmaker quickly rubbed her eyes and said, "It's what makes a person commit a crime whether it's psychological or circumstantial."

"Very good," Ana responded. "Now I want you to get into groups of three and discuss possible reasons for Scourge's kidnapping which we will then share with the class. After we've heard everyone's opinions, we'll talk about whether the crime-in-question was based on Psychological or Circumstantial Motivation."

Due to Pharah's absence, Tracer didn't have any one else to pair up with. She noticed Symmetra sitting by herself, and decided to head over to her. However, Widowmaker sat next to Symmetra first causing Tracer to hesitate.

"Tracer," Ana said. "Why haven't you paired up with anyone yet?"

"I was, um, just going to sit with Widowmaker and Symmetra," Tracer said nervously.

Before Widowmaker and Symmetra could protest, Tracer sat with them which seemed to satisfy Ana as she turned back toward the white-board.

As the rest of the class settled into the discussion, Widowmaker Symmetra and Tracer sat quietly.

"So…" Tracer began. "Why do you think Scourge was kidnapped?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Symmetra said irritably. "Whoever kidnapped Scourge hopes to use him."

"For what?" Tracer asked.

"I don't know." Symmetra adjusted her sweater sleeve to hide the metal hand. "Maybe the kidnappers are trying to steal the Doomfist Gauntlet too."

"Why do you say that?" Widowmaker said. "Scourge's version of the Gauntlet is much stronger than the original, so why would the kidnappers bother to steal it when they have the best version in their hands right now?"

"True, but there are some who claim the original Doomfist Gauntlet has untapped powers which not even the creator himself is aware of," Symmetra pointed out. "Perhaps the kidnappers want to use Scourge to unlock those secrets since Doomfist I, also known as The Savior, is still serving time in prison."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Tracer said nodding. "Plus if they get two powerful Gauntlets in their possession, who knows what those criminals could accomplish next."

"Time's up, class!" Ana announced causing everyone to look at her. "Now what conclusions have you come to?"

A number of students claimed the kidnappers were hoping to collect a bounty for capturing Scourge or potentially ransom him to the police. But Ana found flaws in these answers as bounty-hunting was illegal in Numbani and no ransom had been posted so far. Then when Tracer and her group gave their answer, Ana seemed intrigued.

"Interesting," Ana commented after Tracer finished talking. "So based on your answers, class, would you say this crime was Circumstantial or Psychological?"

"Circumstantial!" The class answered.

"A likely answer, though we cannot be too sure since we know very little about the criminals themselves," Ana said stiffly. "For Friday's homework, I want you all to pick a well-known criminal and write a short paper about their motivations for committing the crimes they did using terminology from the textbook."

A soft groan erupted from the class just as the bell rang causing everyone to leave.

###

After classes were over, Tracer was surprised to find Pharah standing in her indigo-blue undershirt and black shorts with her hair wrapped up in a matching blue towel. The two stared at each other in silence before Pharah stormed off to her room. Tracer attempted to follow, but the metallic door closed behind Pharah and it wouldn't open.

"Pharah, what's wrong?" Tracer asked.

"Go away," Pharah said on the other side of the door.

"When did you get back from the hospital?"

"I don't want to talk."

"Why?"

"Just leave me alone!"

"Is it because I eavesdropped on you and Ana?"

"Obviously!"

"Look, I'm really sorry about that! I know you've been trying to keep your mother's identity a secret, and it's understandable given who she is. So you have every right to be angry with me, but I'm on your side."

"In what way?"

"Ana told Zarya and I a lot of things after the Savior Hospital incident, from your birth to joining Overwatch along with her apparent death and rebirth. Today in Criminal Psychology, she kept looking at the seat you usually occupy. She's worried about you, Pharah, and wants to be a part of your life again."

"My mother died six years ago, and now all I see is a ghost of her."

"It's just plastic surgery."

"I'm not talking about her looks! When I was younger, my mother was very optimistic and gave positive reinforcement to everyone she worked with. Nowadays, she's extremely bitter and strict with hardly any encouraging words to say."

"Well, imagine if you were shot in the face, presumed dead, brought back to life, and then told to never let anyone know until it was safe."

"I would've still told someone because they deserve to know I'm not dead."

"But there's a chance some bad guys might find out, and not only go after you but also your loved ones. This was the position your mother was put in, and she wanted to protect you by not saying anything about her resurrection. My adopted father had to do the same thing last year, and I'm not mad at him because I knew he was trying to keep me and Winston safe."

"Winston's your brother?"

"Adopted."

"And who's your adopted father?"

"Soldier: 76."

"No, that can't be!" An audible _slam_ was heard. "How could he do such a thing, after abandoning Hana?"

"Who's Hana?"

"Never mind! Forget I said anything!"

The _slam_ became louder, causing Tracer to back away from the door. Instead of pursuing further, Tracer went into her own room and went to bed without taking a shower. But she had a hard time falling asleep as her thoughts drifted to Soldier: 76 and his connection to Hana.

 _Who was she?_ Tracer wondered. _Another child Soldier: 76 adopted before me and Winston? A daughter? But in either case, why would he not talk about her? Did something bad happen, like with Gabe, or is Hana still alive and being raised somewhere else? Maybe she's a student at Overwatch High, unaware that Soldier: 76 is connected to her in some way. Then again, he might have invited her to attend and there's a strong chance she hates him just as much as Pharah does toward Ana. If so, then I bet Hana won't like me and Winston if she doesn't already know about our adoption._

To be continued…


	33. Stage 33: Doing What's Right!

Stage 33: Doing What's Right!

Over the next few days, Pharah didn't speak to Tracer or hang out with her during lunch. This caused Tracer to visit Mercy frequently on how to deal with this problem while also preparing for midterm exams.

"I'm worried she's trying to distance herself from everyone she knows because I think she'll try to join Helix Security despite her mother being against it," Tracer sighed. "Maybe if I hadn't been so curious about her past, this wouldn't be happening right now."

"There's no point in blaming yourself," Mercy said assuringly. "All you can do is be kind to her and maybe she'll forgive you."

"But how can I be kind when she won't even talk to me?"

"Just be patient. It's unlikely that Pharah will drop out to join Helix Security now because of midterm exams and finals after that."

"Then when?"

"Probably after she finishes her sophomore year in the spring, so you have plenty of time."

"If you say so," Tracer said as she got up.

###

In Hero Ethics, Soldier: 76 brought up images of newspaper articles that showed disasters with the words 'Overwatch' and 'fail' printed underneath.

" _A true hero always does what's right, but what happens when he can't save the day all the time?_ " Soldier: 76 said. " _To the public, he's regarded as a failure. Now how does that affect his moral? Should he continue to fight on or buckle underneath the pressure and quit?_ "

Tracer raised her hand, which forced Soldier: 76 to make eye-contact. He looked around for other hands, but none were present.

After a reluctant nod from Soldier: 76, Tracer said, "I imagine the public's outrage would make the hero want to quit, but I say he shouldn't."

" _Why is that?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

"Because he has a responsibility to the people he protects, so leaving them would be even more disgraceful than acknowledging the failures and fighting toward a better future for all!"

A hushed silence fell over the room, even Soldier: 76 was speechless.

Then Soldier: 76 cleared his throat and said, " _That would be the ideal answer, but we live in a society that judges everything about everyone. So even if the hero continues to save lives and do good in the world, there will be those who try to make him look bad. With that in mind, I want you to read last week's article about the Savior Hospital incident and tell me your thoughts about it. Could Overwatch have handled the situation better or not?_ "

While Tracer pretended to read the article, she leaned over to Zenyatta and asked, "How are things with Genji and Hanzo?"

" _About the same,_ " Zenyatta answered plainly. " _But now they're starting to see eye-to-eye and not completely ignore each other._ "

"That's good," Tracer said, attempting to smile.

" _You seem to be worried about something,_ " Zenyatta noticed. " _I can tell by your furrowed brow._ "

"It's Pharah," Tracer admitted. "She won't talk to me anymore."

" _Why is that?_ "

Before Tracer could answer, she noticed Soldier: 76 staring at her and stopped talking.

###

After class, Tracer explained the whole situation to Zenyatta despite her promise to Ana.

" _And you're worried she will try to leave us because of what you've discovered?_ " Zenyatta said once Tracer had finished explaining.

"Partially, but she's mostly mad at her mother for not telling her that she was alive," Tracer responded.

" _I see._ _Hanzo felt the same way when Genji revealed to him that he wasn't dead._ "

"Really? Is that why Hanzo feels estranged to his brother?"

Zenyatta nodded. " _Genji's changed so much that Hanzo feels like he doesn't know him anymore. Plus, Hanzo is still plagued by the guilt of nearly killing his brother out of anger for neglecting his duties to the Shimada Clan._ "

"But the Shimada Clan's gone, so he should get over that."

" _It's hard for a man who has been raised to lead a family empire all his life to suddenly let go, so don't blame Hanzo too much. He left the clan to grieve for the death of his brother, but upon learning of Genji's revival he's uncertain of where to go next. Because of that, I encouraged them both to attend this school with Hanzo entering as a junior because of his age and Genji entering as a freshman along with me for the same reason. I believe they deserve second chances, given what they've been through, so what better way to redeem themselves then by learning to use their abilities for good rather than evil._ "

"Okay, but how does that help me figure out how to deal with Pharah?"

" _See if you can get Pharah and her mother to speak with one another, preferably in the presence of someone who can act as a mediator between the two._ "

"Mercy! She'd be perfect for the role! After all, she is Pharah's midwife."

" _Midwife?_ "

"You know, someone that helps mothers give birth to their children."

" _Ah, I've heard that word before but I never knew what it meant._ "

"I'd be surprised if you did, considering Omnics were made in factories."

" _Indeed_ ," replied Zenyatta." _We don't have reproductive capabilities, so we have no need for 'midwives'. But we do age and die like humans._ "

"Yeah, like I'd mourn for a pathetic scrapheap like you!" Junkrat said as he passed by Tracer and Zenyatta in the hallway.

"That wasn't very nice!" Tracer snapped, Blinking ahead to block Junkrat. "Apologize to Zenyatta right now!"

"How'd you do that?" Junkrat eyed the Chronal Accelerator suspiciously and then met Tracer's gaze. "And why should I apologize to an Omnic? They should be the ones apologizing for trying to kill us all!"

"That was beyond their control, and now they're citizens thanks to Overwatch."

"Doesn't matter. A machine isn't human, so treating 'em like citizens is pointless!"

"Hey, chill out, man," Lúcio said, appearing next to Junkrat who seemed irritated. "The British chick has a good point, so turn around and say you're sorry to the Omnic."

Zenyatta hovered patiently as Junkrat craned his neck toward him. Instead of speaking, Junkrat spat on the floor and stormed off. He didn't get very far when McCree showed up suddenly.

"I saw what you did there," McCree said and thrust a pink slip of paper at Junkrat's chest. "After you've cleaned up, meet me in Detention."

Junkrat took the pink slip and crumbled it in his hands. He then used his dirty shoe to wipe away the spit before begrudgingly following McCree. The flow of student traffic continued though Tracer, Zenyatta, and Lúcio didn't move.

"I'm sorry about that," Lúcio said to Tracer. "I know I shouldn't apologize for Junkrat, but he is my roommate so—

"You're Junkrat's roommate?" Tracer exclaimed. "How can you stand living with him?"

"No one else wanted to share a room with Junkrat, so I volunteered," Lúcio explained. "It's been a struggle for sure, but we're working on finding a balance."

"Seems like you've got your work cut out for you," Tracer said sympathetically. "I'm Tracer, by the way, and my Omnic friend over there is Zenyatta."

"Cool names," Lúcio said shaking Tracer and Zenyatta's hands respectfully. "I've seen you guys in some of my classes, such as Combat Training and First Aid 101."

"Are you in the Support Class?" Tracer asked.

"Sure am!" Lúcio beamed. "I'm not much of a fighter, but I've got some sweet tech that boosts the speed and stamina of others while also protecting them!"

"Awesome!" Tracer complimented. "Wished I could've seen that in this year's Payload Competition."

"Yeah, maybe next year," Lúcio said, sounding strangely distant. "Well, I've gotta go but it was nice meeting you two."

"Same here!" Tracer said, waving after Lúcio took off on a pair of rollers hidden underneath his sneakers.

" _I've heard he's quite popular, and know I now why,_ " Zenyatta remarked.

"He seems like a swell chap, though I can't help but feel he was worried about something."

" _Like what?_ "

Tracer thought for a moment, and then shook her head. "Maybe I was just imagining things. Anyway, we need to set up a therapy session between Pharah and her mother because maybe if they hear each other's side of the story then Pharah won't be inclined to leave."

To be continued…


	34. Stage 34: Midterm Exams and Threats!

Stage 34: Midterm Exams and Threats!

Though Tracer managed to set up a meeting between Pharah and Ana with Mercy, she was too busy studying for midterm exams to actually attend.

 _I hope things go all right_ , Tracer thought as she flipped through the Weapons Manuel once more. _Maybe I'm meddling in something I shouldn't, but Pharah's my friend and she shouldn't have to drop out of school because of her estranged relationship with Ana._

Tracer's eyelids suddenly grew weary but she fought the urge and continued to read the Weapons Manuel as well as look at a flyer for an upcoming school-wide tournament called Hero Bash. It was advertised as a way to allow students to show off their skills in a series of one-on-one battles. But everyone knew this tournament was just a way to kill time until the Numbani mayor was certain the threat of Scourge had passed and the students no longer had to stay on campus against their will.

###

The following morning, the students of Weapons 101 met in the school's shooting range where Soldier: 76 was waiting for them. He had a stack of papers in one hand and a large crate in the other.

" _Attention!_ " Soldier: 76 ordered, causing the students to stand in a straight line. " _Today you will demonstrate to me your knowledge of the weapons we've covered thus far both on paper and in practice. After you've taken the written exam, you'll assemble a weapon from this crate and make at least one good mark on the target._ "

As Soldier: 76 spoke, a moving target appeared behind him causing the class to groan.

" _If you fail to assemble the weapon or hit the target, your grade for this Midterm will be an automatic 'F,'_ " Soldier: 76 said, causing the class to become deathly silent. " _Does everyone understand that?_ "

"Yes, sir!" The class shouted.

" _Good,_ " Soldier: 76 replied and passed around the papers. " _Now sit down and take the written part of the Midterm! The sooner you get that done, the quicker the Exam will go!_ "

Instinctively, everyone sat down on the floor with a pencil or pen at the ready. When Tracer got hers, she took out a white pen depicting the blue alien from _They Came From Beyond The Moon_ from her jean-pocket while Genji bent his wrist slightly causing a silver pen to emerge from it. While Tracer was fascinated by this, she caught Soldier: 76 glaring at her and focused on the test. Fortunately, Tracer was able to answer most of them since they were questions regarding information from the Weapons Manuel such as how to disassemble a sniper-rifle versus a handgun and which weapon would be most useful for close-range combat.

Once Tracer was done with that, she walked over to the open crate and picked up a small box. Then she sat down and opened it to find several parts for a weapon. Recognizing it, Tracer managed to assemble the weapon quickly which was revealed to be a small pistol. Meanwhile, other students were still assembling theirs except for Genji who managed to assemble his in less than a few seconds. Unfortunately, the weapon Genji assembled was a hunting bow which seemed to disappoint him. When the two were done, Tracer and Genji stood in line behind three other students who were poised to shoot the moving target.

###

"So how did it go?" Zarya asked Tracer later that day.

"The Weapons Midterm or Pharah's meeting?" Tracer said wearily.

"Midterm," Zarya confirmed.

"Oh, it went all right," Tracer answered. "The written test wasn't that hard, and the weapon I assembled was a pistol so I was able to fire at the moving target easily. But Genji had a hard time with his weapon, which was a hunting bow, though he made one good shot."

"Then you both did fine. What about other Midterms?"

"I haven't studied for them yet. I'm more worried about Pharah. She hasn't spoken to me since her meeting with Ana."

"You just concentrate on exams. Pharah will tell you at right time."

"If you say so," Tracer said as she took out her Omnic History textbook and began reading it.

###

After taking the Omnic History Midterm which was a normal multiple-choice exam, Tracer had Combat Training to deal with next. Reinhardt hadn't told the students much about the Midterm except to memorize all the moves they learned. With this in mind, Tracer came into the class looking tense. Everyone seemed to notice including Junkrat.

"What's the matter, crumpet?" Junkrat teased. "Worried you'll fail today's Midterm?"

Instead of answering, Tracer just folded her arms and huffed.

"Still mad at me for not apologizing to the Omnic?" Junkrat leaned in closer and said, "If Lúcio hadn't interfered, I could've walked away without having to suffer detention with McCree. But thanks to you I did, and you're going to pay for it soon!"

"Junkrat!" Reinhardt shouted. "Do I have to make you run twenty laps again?"

"No, mate, I'm good," Junkrat replied, trying to look nervous.

Falling for Junkrat's ploy, Reinhardt turned away from him and addressed the class, "Today you will be doing spars like the kind we've been doing for the past month and a half, only this time you'll be paired with students whose strength is greater than your own and the whole class will be watching. Your grade will be determined by how much effort you put into the fight, though extra points will be given if you manage to beat the opponent completely. Any questions?"

No one raised a hand.

Reinhardt nodded in approval, "Excellent. Now everyone stand in a wide circle and we'll pick two people to fight. They have two minutes to beat each other, although if one should win before the time is up the match is over. You all may watch, but not interfere in the match or I will dock points from your grade. Up first, we have D. Va and Junkrat!"

Junkrat made a loud disappointed _sigh_ as he got up. D. Va had a confident grin on her face as she stood opposite of him, but Tracer noticed that her knees were shaking.

"Ready to take back what you said, Gremlin?" Junkrat mocked.

"Not a chance, Junk Boy!" D. Va responded putting her fists up.

"Begin!" Reinhardt said, pressing a button on his stopwatch.

Immediately, Junkrat went for a full punch but D. Va dodged it. Then she tried to kick his peg-leg but it held fast as Junkrat used his real foot to trip D. Va. Tracer watched nervously as Junkrat prepared to put his foot down on D. Va's chest but she caught it in both hands.

"What're you trying to do?" Junkrat asked.

"This!" D. Va said, and twisted Junkrat's foot.

Surprised, Junkrat found himself tipping over with the peg-leg falling down. Fortunately, D. Va managed to get up before Junkrat hit the floor completely and then she stood on top of him.

"You just got PWNED, Junk Boy!" D. Va said confidently.

"Not yet," Junkrat said, and took out his detonator. "I've got a bomb strapped to my chest, and I ain't afraid to use it!"

"That's enough, Junkrat!" Reinhardt said, pressing a button on the stopwatch. "The winner is D. Va and she beat you in less than two minutes."

"Yeah!" D. Va exclaimed joyfully. She stepped off of Junkrat and held out her hand. "GG, Junk Boy!"

Instead of taking D. Va's hand, Junkrat got up himself and turned to leave when Reinhardt stopped him.

"Let me see your chest," Reinhardt said. "Just in case you really have a bomb."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Junkrat said, taking his sweat-stained T-shirt off and showed a bare chest. "You must be a bigger drongo than I thought."

Reinhardt cringed upon hearing this. "Twenty laps around the gym!"

"Seems it ain't my day today," Junkrat said and started running.

Satisfied, Reinhardt said, "Next, Tracer and Lúcio!"

Surprised, Tracer got up just as Lúcio did. The two stood opposite to one another as Reinhardt started the stopwatch once more.

"Let's get this party started!" Lúcio said excitedly.

"Don't forget to stretch!" Tracer responded eagerly.

To be continued…


	35. Stage 35: Argument and Detention!

Stage 35: Argument and Detention!

"So I heard you fought Lúcio for your Combat Training Midterm," Pharah said to Tracer later that night. "Who won?"

The question caught Tracer completely by surprise causing her to pause before answering. "It was a draw, but we both got points for effort."

"That's good," Pharah said, and walked toward her room.

"How did the meeting go?" Tracer asked. "Between you and Ana?"

Pharah didn't look at Tracer as she spoke. "Were you the one who set it up?"

"Um, yeah, kind of," Tracer said embarrassingly.

"What for?"

"I was hoping that maybe if you talked things over with Ana, you wouldn't feel like leaving."

"Why should you care if I leave? You're not my friend."

The door started to close behind Pharah, but Tracer Blinked into Pharah's room.

"That's not true, and you know it!" Tracer snapped. "We are friends, but your bitterness toward Ana is making you want to leave so you're distancing yourself from me and everyone else."

"It's not just my mother. Though I've learned a lot at this school, I feel like I could do more. That's why Helix Security International is perfect, because I can protect people and utilize my skills more practically."

"But that can wait, right? It's not like the world needs to be protected right now."

"Have you not been listening to the news? There are more Talon attacks every day, Scourge is still running loose, and now there's this masked creep on top of everything else! Having come from a long line of Egyptian military officers, it is my duty to make the world a better place to live in for all!"

"Did your mother say that or are you so self-righteous to the point of ignoring your loved ones?"

"Then you think I'm foolish for trying to do something about the world's problems?"

"No, Pharah, that's a perfectly reasonable goal! However, you've got to consider how people like me, Zarya, and Ana feel before doing something so drastic. Plus, Overwatch does a lot more than Helix Security which mostly focuses on protecting military bases and having a free education doesn't hurt either."

"It doesn't matter! I'm going to join Helix Security and that's final!"

"Fine! Sorry I asked!" Tracer then Recalled back to before she Blinked into Pharah's room and watched the door close before turning away.

###

The rest of Tracer's Midterm Exams included a grammar test in English, a presentation in Criminal Psychology on two criminals that demonstrated Circumstantial and Psychological Motivation, and an open discussion in Hero Ethics. She was still upset at Pharah, which caused her to not do well on her grammar test, but then she made up for it in the Criminal Psychology presentation. However, the two criminals she picked were Doomfist I aka The Savior and Doomfist II aka The Scourge which other students picked as well including Widowmaker.

"Scourge is the perfect example of a criminal whose motivation is purely psychological because he's convinced that Numbani's mayor is wrong for making Omnics equal citizens since that's what The Savior taught him to believe," Widowmaker said as she brought up newspaper clippings of Scourge on the holographic projector. "Like many others, Scourge sees Omnics as a threat to our society and thinks they must be destroyed. However, he believes he's the only one who can do this, being the heir to Doomfist I, and feels robbed of the one thing that should've been his: the Doomfist Gauntlet. It represents the legacy he was brought into, and without it Scourge doesn't feel whole. This is why he attempted to rob the Doomfist Gauntlet on Unity Day but I wouldn't be surprised if he tries again in the near future."

 _How would she know that?_ Tracer wondered as Widowmaker continued.

"Excellent," Ana said after Widowmaker finished. "Your presentation was very informative and insightful, almost like you knew Scourge personally."

"All it took was a lot of research to paint a clear picture of him," Widowmaker answered flatly. "After that, determining his criminal motivation was easy."

Ana wrote some things down on an electronic notepad and said, "Well, that about wraps up the Midterm presentations. I will have your grades posted in a few days and we'll start looking into Crime Planning tomorrow."

Then the bell rang and everyone left the classroom except for Tracer.

"Um, excuse me," Tracer said, getting Ana's attention.

"What is it, Tracer?" Ana asked wearily.

"I wanted to confess something," Tracer said sheepishly. "That meeting Mercy set up between you and Pharah? It was my idea, not hers. The reason I did it is because I had hoped you two could talk things over and make up. That way, Pharah might change her mind about going to Helix Security but it seems my effort was all for naught."

"Why do you say that?" Ana said.

"She told me last night she's still planning to join Helix Security, though I tried to convince her otherwise."

"Just what I expected," Ana said firmly. "We did talk at the meeting, but neither of us agreed on anything. Mercy did her best to mediate things, though it was clear she was having a hard time. Then the bell for 5th period rang, and I left for class but Pharah decided to stay."

"That's why she wasn't in Criminal Psychology that day," Tracer remembered.

Ana nodded. "My daughter can be very stubborn, but she's only doing what she thinks is right."

"And you think she's justified in joining a security firm despite being only a year older than me?"

"No, but I understand why. Her bitterness at my disappearance is one reason, but the other is her desire to surpass me as a military hero."

"So what should I do?"

"Let Pharah be for the time being. She needs space to think, and we need to give that to her."

"Right."

Sighing deeply, Tracer Blinked out of the room and down the hallway toward Hero Ethics. Unfortunately, McCree appeared right in front of her and fired his revolver. The bullet flew past Tracer's head by a few inches as she Blinked again but then the blue disk dimmed forcing her to stop. McCree's spurs clicked as he spun around and pointed the revolver at Tracer once more.

"Don't move, or I'll shoot at you again," McCree said. "Now how did you dodge my bullet, missy? I'm an expert marksman and I've never missed a shot in my life until now."

Raising her hands in the air, Tracer responded, "I'll tell you for a hall pass."

"Can't do that," McCree said stiffly. "My orders are to catch anyone not in class when the bell rings and send them to detention."

"But I've never been late before. That should be enough to let me off the hook just this once, right?"

In response, McCree took out a pink slip from his gun-belt and put it in Tracer's hand as he passed by her. "See you after your last class is done."

When McCree was out of ear-shot, Tracer groaned loudly and walked on to Hero Ethics feeling worse than before.

To be continued…


	36. Stage 36: The Hog's Den!

Stage 36: The Hog's Den!

The detention room was inside a large shed next to the gym which reeked as Tracer entered it. Inside there were shelves full of cleaning materials, sports equipment, and piles of metal. In the center of the shed stood Roadhog who was just as big as Tracer remembered while Junkrat was leaning up against a punching bag with his arms folded.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Tracer," Junkrat said approaching her slowly. "Fancy seeing you in detention. Guess McCree saw through that light trick of yours."

"Light trick?" Tracer folded her arms over the Chronal Accelerator. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"That chest-thing you wear," Junkrat responded, standing right in front of her. "It lights up for a second, then you're in a different position than before. How d'you do that?"

"You've asked me this question before, Junkrat," Tracer said, tightening her shoulders. "And I'm not telling."

"You won't get rid of me that easily," Junkrat said, putting his thumb and pointer-finger under Tracer's chin. "We've got a whole hour to ourselves, luv, and I plan to make the most of it."

" _That's enough,_ " Roadhog said, squeezing Junkrat's shoulder with one hand.

"Back off, Hog!" Junkrat flinched as he backed away from Tracer. "I was only having a bit of fun. We seldom get anyone else in detention."

" _There is a reason for that,_ " Roadhog said, glaring at Junkrat and then Tracer. " _You're both here to be punished for being late, not to socialize with each other!_ "

"Good, I wasn't planning on it anyway," Tracer said gazing around the room. "So what are we supposed to do to pass the time?"

In response, Roadhog picked up a couple of backpack-looking items with vacuum cleaner tubes attached to them and plastic buckets which he gave to Tracer and Junkrat. " _You will both be going around the school grounds picking up trash for two hours. Recyclable materials go in the green trash cans, metal pieces go in the buckets, and everything else goes in the vacuum cleaners._ "

"Even food?" Tracer asked.

Roadhog nodded briefly before shoving Tracer and Junkrat out of the shed. " _Now get out and don't come back till you're done!_ "

Before Tracer could ask Roadhog further questions, he slammed the shed doors in her face.

"Don't take it personally," Junkrat said as he walked from the shed. "Roadhog's not very patient, and never has been."

"How would you know?" Tracer said Blinking forward till she was next to Junkrat.

He looked at the Chronal Accelerator once more and then said, "I'll tell ya if you let me in on that chest-thing."

"No way!" Tracer said firmly.

"Fine! Have it your way!" Junkrat grumbled as he started picking up some plastic cups that had been tucked into the side of the gym.

Instead of answering, Tracer left Junkrat to find more trash which happened to be lying around a floating trash-can. Irritably, Tracer used the vacuum cleaner to suck up all the paper plates and napkins before Blinking down the sidewalk.

###

Thanks to the Chronal Accelerator being fully charged again, Tracer was able to pick up a lot of trash by the time detention was over. She also managed to fill the bucket with several metal pieces, which seemed to please Roadhog. Junkrat appeared to be deep in thought, which caused Tracer to be nervous. As the two left the shed, neither of them spoke while the sun was setting west behind a gazelle-shaped building.

"Um, Junkrat," Tracer said, causing him to glare at her.

"What now?" Junkrat asked sharply.

"A while back, you said something about 'serving time' in reference to attending this school. What did you mean by that?"

Junkrat hesitated to answer.

"Never mind. I was only asking," Tracer said and walked past him.

###

On her way back to the girl's dorm after supper, Tracer thought she heard footsteps. Thinking it was Junkrat, Tracer Blinked ahead twice and hid behind the cheetah statue. To her surprise, it was actually Widowmaker.

 _What's she doing out so late?_ Tracer wondered.

"Tracer," Widowmaker said, standing before the dorm entrance. "Are you coming inside or not?"

Reluctantly, Tracer left the cheetah statue and stood next to Widowmaker. "I see you took the time to memorize my name."

"It wasn't that hard," Widowmaker said snidely as she opened the doors. "Are you planning to participate in the Hero Bash tournament?"

"Of course," Tracer replied excitedly. "It sounds like fun."

Widowmaker scuffed. "I would watch my back if I were you."

"Why?"

Instead of answering, Widowmaker smirked and walked away.

Confused, Tracer went up to her dorm, showered, and went into her room to do homework.

###

"Hey, Winston, should I join the Hero Bash tournament?" Tracer asked after Hanzo left to do archery practice.

"I don't see why not," Winston said, though his eyes were glued to the computer screen in front of him.

"Is something bothering you?"

Winston snorted through his nostrils. "Last night, someone tried to hack into the school files."

Tracer's eyes widened. "Was the hacker caught?"

"No, but fortunately nothing was stolen."

"Do you know what they were after?"

"Athena claims it was the student profiles which detail everything from abilities to real names."

"That's awful!"

"Indeed, but what worries me more is that this isn't the first attempted hacking."

"How many have there been?"

"About three counting this latest attempt."

"I wonder who's doing it."

"Athena's trying her best to look for the perpetrator, but because the hackings were cut short by her interference there isn't much data for her to go on."

"I'm sure she'll find the hacker eventually. After all, she's your creation."

"Yeah, but even Athena has her limits."

"What have you got so far?"

"A series of numbers that Athena has translated to 'Araignée du matin.'"

"Which means?"

"Apparently, it's 'Morning spider' in French."

"Odd," Tracer observed. "Could it be the hacker's signature?"

"It is, but unless the hacker tries again we have no way to figure out his or her identity."

"Aw, bummer."

"If only we could had a computer genius who's familiar with hackers and is able to trace their signatures to their source."

Tracer thought for a moment. "I think I know someone who could help."

To be continued…


	37. Stage 37: Tournaments and Hacking!

Stage 37: Tournaments and Hacking!

" _You want me to do what exactly?_ " Zenyatta asked, floating next to Winston's computer looking baffled while Winston, Tracer, Genji, and Hanzo all stood in the lab together staring at him.

"A while back, you said you could transfer your consciousness to other machines," Tracer said. "So if we hooked you up to the computer you could travel through the Internet to figure out the hacker's true identity, right?"

" _Theoretically yes, but I have never tried it before,_ " Zenyatta responded nervously. " _Also, I am not very familiar with the Internet and could get lost if I'm not too careful._ "

" _That's where I could help,_ " Genji said stepping forward. " _While my brother was busy training to be the next Clan leader, I was doing some amateur hacking on the Internet. Nothing more than a pastime, I got pretty good at it until my near fatal accident._ "

"Thanks for the reminder," Hanzo grumbled.

" _I wasn't trying to offend you, brother,_ " Genji said assuredly. Then he turned his attention back to Tracer. " _Anyway, since I know quite a bit about hacking I could hook my mind to Zenyatta's and instruct him while he's in the Internet._ "

"Is that possible?" Tracer asked Zenyatta.

Zenyatta nodded tentatively. " _Genji does have the parts necessary to link his mind to a machine as well, but unlike me he cannot fully transfer his consciousness due to the risk of his human brain deteriorating in the process._ "

"How can you be certain that won't happen while you're connected to Zenyatta?" Winston asked Genji.

" _I won't be entirely connected,_ " Genji explained. " _Only part of me will, so my brain won't deteriorate while I'm guiding Zenyatta inside the computer._ "

"Do either of you have a rough estimate of how long this will take?" Hanzo asked.

Genji and Zenyatta looked at each other and shrugged.

"What does that mean?" Tracer said nervously.

" _We have no idea,_ " Zenyatta answered. " _But we're willing to still try it for the sake of preventing future incidents of this 'hacking' business._ "

"Then the sooner we get started, the better," Winston said and turned to his computer. "Athena?"

" _Yes, Winston?_ " Athena's voice said through the monitor.

"I'm going to override your security systems to allow an Omnic to mentally transfer himself onto the Internet in order to find the hacker who's been trying to break into the student files recently," Winston explained.

A series of dots appeared below the logo on the computer screen and then Athena said, " _Is the Omnic trustworthy?_ "

"Yes," Winston nodded. "He's a Shambali monk and a friend of my adopted sister."

Several more dots followed and Athena said, " _Security override accepted._ "

"Thanks, Athena."

" _You're welcome._ "

So Zenyatta stopped floating and sat down in the swivel chair while Genji pulled a second one next to him. Then Zenyatta and Genji took a cord from each of their ear-holes and plugged them into the computer's outlet and the back of Zenyatta's neck respectfully. After a few seconds, the lights from their eyes died down and they were completely silent.

"I'll keep an eye on them to make sure everything's going all right," Winston said to Tracer. "You and Hanzo should be getting to that tournament about now."

"Right," Tracer said and Blinked to the front door of the dorm. "See you later!"

"If you don't mind, I'd rather stay here," Hanzo said, hesitating to leave.

Winston snorted loudly. "Are you concerned about your brother?"

Hanzo turned away to hide his reddened face. "N-Not at all, Winston! I just thought it would be easier having two people watch Genji and Zenyatta instead of you."

"That is a good point, but Athena's watching them too. So you're free to go to the tournament if you want."

"Very well," Hanzo said heading toward the door. He stopped partway out of the lab and looked over his shoulder. "Call me on the CommLink if anything happens."

"Good luck, sir!" Winston said giving Hanzo a thumbs-up.

###

"Hi, everybody, how y'all doing?" Lúcio said as he skated onto a wooden platform wearing metallic rollerblades, blue armored pants with green kneepads, matching blue fingerless gloves, a green sleeveless shirt depicting a smiling frog face with headphones, yellow-tinted glasses, and a yellow headset. When the crowd made a minimal response, Lúcio took the microphone from its stand and held it close to his mouth. "I'm not hearing that noise! I said, how y'all doing?"

This time, the crowd responded much more loudly than before.

"Whoa, now that's more like it!" Lúcio acknowledged. "All right, listen up! Today's a special day not only cuz I'll be performing tonight to promote my new album but also Principal 76 has announced the lockdown on our school is officially over!"

The crowd cheered and clapped excitedly.

"So to celebrate, let's get this Hero Bash tournament underway!" Lúcio said enthusiastically as a holographic image appeared behind him. "As you can see here, everyone's going to be fighting in a series of one-on-one bouts with the winners moving onto the next round while the losers walk away. The participants may use whatever weapons they desire, but no fatal injuries or accidents are allowed! If the participant is disarmed and can't fight anymore, they will be taken out of the tournament and healed by Mercy if need be! Everyone got that?"

"Yes!" the crowd shouted unanimously.

"Good!" The chart behind Lúcio changed to still images. "For the first battle of the first round, we've got Tracer who hails from Great Britain and has a way of disappearing when you least expect it. Then just when you think she's gone for good, she'll appear at the most convenient time for her!"

As Lúcio spoke, Tracer Blinked into the stadium wearing her costume as the crowd cheered.

"Look out world! Tracer's here!" Tracer said waving to everyone politely.

When the crowd noises died down, Lúcio continued. "Her opponent this round is Junkrat, a genuine Junker from the Outback of Australia who may have a few screws loose in the head but he sure loves to blow things up with his arsenal of hand-grenades and land-mines!"

Then an explosion occurred at the other end of the stadium followed by Junkrat flying through the air and landing opposite of Tracer.

"It's a perfect day for some mayhem!" Junkrat said and glared at Tracer. "I hope you've come prepared, mate!"

"I'll beat you before you've even moved!" Tracer said putting her fists up.

"Are you ready?" Lúcio said as a countdown appeared behind him.

The crowd cheered as the numbers went down to zero.

"Fight!" Lúcio shouted.

To be continued…


	38. Stage 38: Gone in the Blink of an Eye!

Stage 38: Gone in the Blink of an Eye!

As soon as Junkrat lunged toward her, Tracer Blinked behind him. She then attempted to kick him in the back of the head, but to her surprise he managed to dodge it.

"This one's for you!" Junkrat said as he threw a land mine at Tracer.

She sidestepped to avoid the land mine, which fell harmlessly a few feet behind her. Next, Tracer Blinked forward to attack Junkrat who was so surprised that he dropped his Grenade Launcher. But he managed to block her kicks and punches fairly well until he used his peg-leg to hit Tracer's chest. The impact knocked her back a little ways, but what worried Tracer was the obvious scratch across the Chronal Accelerator's surface. Ignoring it, Tracer avoided the grenades Junkrat launched at her by Recalling backwards.

Her foot touched something, causing Tracer to look down. She saw that it was the land-mine Junkrat threw earlier and looked at him noticing he had a detonator in his hand. Before Tracer could Blink out of the way, Junkrat pushed the button which caused her to fly through the air and land face first onto the concrete flooring of the stadium. The audience gasped in horror, but were relieved once Tracer got her feet.

"Well, that just happened," Tracer said feeling partially winded. "Is that the best you can do, Junkrat?"

"I should think so," Junkrat said confidently. "Take a look at your chest."

Upon him saying that, Tracer looked down at the Chronal Accelerator and noticed it was cracked. Fortunately, the blue light was still shining.

"One more hit and that thing will break," Junkrat said and aimed his Grenade Launcher. "Shall we test that?"

"Bring it on, Junkrat," Tracer responded, trying to hide the fear in her voice.

Instead of firing the grenades at her, Junkrat launched the grenades around her causing Tracer to freeze in place. Then Junkrat took the tire from his back and pulled a chain to cause it to roll toward her. Remembering what happened during the Payload Competition, Tracer Blinked out of the tire's way as it exploded near her. However, the blast knocked Tracer down as she shielded her face. As her ears rang loudly, Tracer looked down at the Chronal Accelerator and saw the blue light fade completely. Thinking it had simply overheated, Tracer was about to get up when Junkrat appeared out of the debris and pointed the Grenade Launcher at her chest.

"That must've hurt," Junkrat said snidely. "Widow's tip was right on the money."

"Widow?" Tracer's eyes widened when she realized who Junkrat was talking about. "What did she—

Junkrat then immediately fired a grenade at Tracer, causing her to Blink in response. Because of this, the grenade missed and exploded harmlessly where Tracer was before. In her place stood the Chronal Accelerator, which was now badly damaged. Cursing to himself, Junkrat looked around the stadium and didn't see Tracer anywhere.

"Playing Hide and Seek with me, are you?" Junkrat said eyeing the crowd suspiciously. "Or did you run away cuz you're a coward at heart?"

The crowd started muttering as Junkrat kept looking around and scratching the back of his neck.

"Come on, Tracer," Junkrat whined. "This isn't fun anymore! You're really starting to shorten my fuse! Get out here so I can finish you off!"

No response came causing the mutterings to become louder and Lúcio to get nervous.

"Ah, well since Tracer refuses to show herself…that makes Junkrat the winner of this battle," Lúcio said as Tracer's image faded alongside Junkrat's.

"No way!" Junkrat exclaimed. "This is too easy! I want to beat Tracer myself!"

" _That's enough, son,_ " Soldier: 76 said, appearing behind Junkrat and squeezing his shoulder uncomfortably tight.

"Fine, mate," Junkrat said releasing himself from Soldier: 76's grip. "You don't have to be so rough with me."

As the crowd continued murmuring, Lúcio said, "All right, we'll be taking a short break before starting up the next fight as we determine the victory of this bout."

While the crowd dispersed, Soldier: 76 pressed a button on the side of his visor which caused a larger version of it to appear in front of him. He then went off toward the entrance Tracer came from and after a few minutes passed, Soldier: 76 sprinted toward Junkrat, who was attempting to sneak away, and held him up by his pants.

" _I don't see Tracer in this entire building,_ " Soldier: 76 growled. " _Did you do something to make her disappear?_ "

"She disappeared herself, mate," Junkrat said nonchalantly. "That wasn't my doing."

" _Then how do you explain why I can't find her?_ " Soldier: 76 said angrily.

"Perhaps she went back to her dorm-room," Hanzo suggested, standing next to Soldier: 76 along with the other participants. "May I be permitted to check?"

"I'll go," Zarya said. "No boys are permitted in girl's dorm, after all."

"Oh, _hai_ ," Hanzo said blushing slightly. "I forgot about that."

###

"Is Tracer in her room?" Zarya asked Pharah who was doing sit-ups on the floor of her bedroom.

"Not sure," Pharah said between breaths. "I didn't hear her come in."

Concerned, Zarya went into Tracer's room and found it to be completely empty. She looked under the bed, in the closet, and even the bathroom. Finding nothing, Zarya went back into Pharah's room as she was still doing sit-ups.

"She's nowhere in this dorm," Zarya said nervously. "Unless you're hiding her."

"Why would I be hiding Tracer?" Pharah said as she got up abruptly. "We've barely talked since I met with Ana."

Unconvinced, Zarya looked around Pharah's room and even peeked inside the suit but still Tracer was nowhere to be found.

"Where could she have gone?" Zarya muttered.

"Did something happen?" Pharah asked.

Zarya sighed heavily. "She disappeared while fighting against Junkrat."

"Disappeared? How did it happen?"

"Junkrat fired a grenade at her, she disappear, and never come back."

"That's odd," Pharah said shaking her head. "I know she's capable of traveling through time, but she doesn't go very far."

"All that was left was her chest thing."

"The same one you broke two months ago?"

" _Da_ , and she almost disappeared because of it."

Pharah's eyes suddenly widened. "Did Junkrat damage her chest thing in any way?"

"He did scratch it with his peg-leg, then he caused her to fall a couple times."

In that instance, Pharah ran toward the dorm-room door.

"Where are you going?" Zarya asked.

"To see Winston," Pharah said as she put on her running shoes and opened the door. "You head back to the stadium, grab her chest thing, and meet me at Winston's dorm."

"What for?"

"I'm not sure what's going on, but I think Winston might know the answers."

To be continued…


	39. Stage 39: Memory and Thought!

Stage 39: Memory and Thought!

"Are you sure that's what happened?" Winston asked after Zarya and Pharah had finished explaining Tracer's sudden disappearance.

"Positive," Zarya said holding up the Chronal Accelerator. "This was left behind after she tried to Blink from Junkrat's grenade."

Winston took the Chronal Accelerator from Zarya's hands and looked down at it. Noticing the cracks in the glass circles on the front and back, he attempted to turn the light on by tapping one side but nothing happened. Heaving a deep sigh, Winston put the Chronal Accelerator on a work-table and took off his glasses. His fists clenched for a brief moment as his normally black fur started turning red.

"Winston," Pharah said. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Winston said after a brief pause.

His fur returned to normal, causing Zarya to breathe easier along with Pharah.

"Upon first glance, I can deduce that the Chronal Accelerator was badly damaged due to the falls Tracer experienced during her match with Junkrat," Winston said turning to face Pharah and Zarya. "Because of this, the Chronal Accelerator stopped working by the time Junkrat fired his last grenade at Tracer. Naturally, she panicked and Blinked to get out of the way. But by doing that, she entered the time-stream much quicker than when she almost disappeared two months ago. When Zarya broke the Chronal Accelerator then, Tracer didn't use it and so she started to disappear gradually which gave me enough time to save her. But at the match, she deliberately moved forward in time which caused her body to instantly become part of the time-stream. As a result, the Chronal Accelerator was left behind because it doesn't contain the same cells that make Tracer time-travel in the first place."

"So what is the Chronal Accelerator for?" Pharah asked.

"It's a metaphysical anchor that keeps Tracer in the present while allowing her to move backwards and forwards in time," Winston explained. "Without it, she becomes attached to the time-stream and can't stay in one place for too long."

"Then how can we get her back?" Zarya demanded.

"To tell you the truth, Zarya, I have no idea," Winston said putting his glasses back on.

Zarya blinked. "Why?"

"Everything I know about the Chronal Accelerator and how to fix it is information that was implanted into my head by Doctor Winston," Winston said. "He was the one who invented the device, before his untimely death on the moon colony. So because of that, I have been able to prevent Tracer from disappearing again like she did ten years ago. But this kind of incident is new to me, and I'm not sure how to handle it."

Pharah thought for a moment and then said, "If Doctor Winston invented the Chronal Accelerator, then he must've figured out a way of bringing Tracer back to the present."

"He did, but I was too young to know how he accomplished that," Winston replied.

"Then surely he must've left you with some info on how to bring Tracer back again," Zarya suggested.

Winston scratched the back of his head nervously. "I don't see why he wouldn't have, but there's only so much information I can process."

" _Maybe it's locked deep within your mind, which meditation will certainly make accessible if you concentrate hard enough,_ " Genji said, causing everyone to flinch as he was still hooked up to Zenyatta whose lights were still dim.

"Genji," Zarya said with surprise. "How are you communicating with us now?"

" _I've temporarily disconnected from my Master to speak to you,_ " Genji said. " _The hacker is proving more difficult to locate than we thought._ "

"Should I let Athena handle it?" Winston asked.

" _No, my Master and I want to keep looking,_ " replied Genji. " _We have found traces of the same numbers that spell out the phrase you told us about, Winston, and they were found on a handful of student files._ "

"Can you tell me which ones?"

" _Certainly,_ " Genji nodded. " _They were Junkrat, Hanzo, and Tracer's._ "

"Odd," Winston said raising an eyebrow. "Why would the hacker be interested in looking up some of the new students?"

"Maybe the hacker is working for Talon," Pharah suggested. "If they're as organized as the news claims, this would be something they'd do to see what kind of heroes they might have to deal with in the future."

"And possibly eliminate them before they graduate from this school," Zarya said.

"That would make sense in regard to Tracer, but Junkrat couldn't be the hacker," Winston responded. "He doesn't strike me as being very intelligent and I fail to see the logic of hacking into one's own file."

"Unless Junkrat was being manipulated by someone else," Pharah suggested.

"Who was the hacker," added Zarya.

" _A likely possibility, but this means the hacker could be posing as a fellow student or a teacher,_ " Genji said gravely.

A heavy silence hung over the room.

"What should we do?" Zarya asked. "The next match is in a couple minutes."

"Tell Soldier: 76 about Tracer's disappearance and Junkrat's involvement," Winston said to Zarya as Genji's green light shut down. "But until we have a clearer picture of our hacker, this is our secret. Understood?"

" _Da_ ," Zarya said, and left the lab.

Watching Zarya leave, Pharah turned to Winston and said, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Watch Genji and Zenyatta for me," Winston responded as he took off his glasses a second time. "I'll be taking Genji's advice and meditate in my room. Let me know if anything unusual happens."

"Okay," Pharah said.

###

Later, Hanzo showed up and Pharah explained what happened. He nodded a few times, but said nothing. His eyes occasionally wandered toward Genji, who was still not moving.

"Now that you're aware of the situation, you must swear to not say a word about this to anyone," Pharah said putting a hand on Hanzo's.

"I swear with my life," Hanzo said using his other hand to cover Pharah's.

"Good," Pharah said letting go of Hanzo's hand.

To be continued…


	40. Stage 40: To The Future and Back!

Stage 40: To the Future and Back!

When Tracer Blinked, she saw Junkrat vanish along with the rest of the stadium. Instead, she was hurled into a blue shimmering tunnel that echoed distant sounds and voices.

"I know this place," Tracer said as she looked around. "This is the time-stream. That means—

To her dismay, the Chronal Accelerator was gone.

"Bollux!" Tracer cursed. "I shouldn't have used it, but then Junkrat would've killed me with that grenade."

The blue tunnel grew brighter, causing Tracer to shield her eyes. Then Tracer felt something slippery beneath her feet and tripped. She landed on concrete flooring and lifted her foot to reveal a rotten banana peel.

"Ew," Tracer said, and flung it off. Then her eyes widened. "Wait a minute! Bananas…that means Winston can't be too far away!"

"Indeed."

Tracer noticed a flight of stairs near the concrete floor and saw Winston standing at the top of them. Before she could get up, he leaped down and stood over her.

"Who sent you?" Winston demanded.

"No one did," Tracer said.

"Then how did you get in here?"

"A Chronal Accelerator malfunction."

"Hm?" Winston raised an eyebrow. "Tracer?"

"Yeah," Tracer nodded. "Didn't you recognize me?"

"No," Winston said as he helped Tracer up. "My eyesight's been getting worse, so I need to wear my glasses constantly."

"Strange, you've never had that problem before," Tracer noted as Winston walked over to a computer desk and put on the black-rimmed glasses.

"Well, you wouldnt have known anyway. After all, it has been ten years since we last saw each other."

"Ten years?" Tracer exclaimed. "I must've Blinked into the far future when the Chronal Accelerator stopped working."

"So you're Tracer from the past?" Winston asked.

"Pretty much," Tracer said sheepishly. "Sorry for dropping in, wherever here is."

"This is Watchpoint: Gibraltar," Winston explained. "It was one of Overwatch's former bases where we used to launch satellites into space."

"You speak as if Overwatch no longer exists."

"The U. N. disbanded it after a series of worldwide protests."

"Why did they do that?"

"They said we were interfering too much in world's problems and our involvement with Blackwatch didn't help either."

"What's Blackwatch?"

Before Winston could answer, he vanished completely and the blue tunnel appeared once more. This time, Tracer concentrated really hard on the date she Blinked from and pictured the stadium in her head. But when Tracer felt herself falling again, she bent her knees and landed on solid ground without slipping. Her ankles hurt afterward, but Tracer ignored the pain as she looked around. Instead of a large rock-covered roof with metallic floors like Watchpoint: Gibraltar, it was a large foyer with a glass ceiling and marble flooring. Then just as she was about to move, Tracer heard footsteps and hid behind a statue made of limestone depicting Mercy.

"Gabe, wait up!"

Tracer looked around the statue and saw two figures emerge from a nearby elevator. The first one was a tall man with mocha-colored skin wearing a black beanie and matching clothes trudging away at a fast pace. Behind him followed another who was paler with short blond hair wearing blue and white clothing.

"Is that…Jack?" Tracer wondered out loud looking at the back of the second man's head.

Immediately, the second man looked in Tracer's direction. She turned away and stood perfectly still. Covering her mouth with both hands, Tracer tried to control her breathing as she heard the footsteps come closer.

"What is it, Jack?"

The footsteps stopped.

"I just thought I heard someone."

"Where?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe it was my imagination."

When the footsteps retreated, Tracer breathed a sigh of relief under her covered mouth. She stepped a little ways from the statue and looked down at a plaque that said the name of the artist and a date.

 _Looks like I went too far back_ , Tracer noted.

Looking past the statue, Tracer saw the man called Jack still pursuing the other guy who was apparently named Gabe.

 _So that's Gabriel Reyes_ , Tracer thought looking at the man in dark clothes. _He doesn't look very nice, which makes me wonder how he and Jack became friends in the first place. Maybe this is when things started to fall apart between them._

As Tracer was about to follow the two men, the blue tunnel caused everything to fade. Irritated, Tracer once again concentrated on the time she came from. However, the next place she landed in was a dry riverbed littered with dead bodies both human and Omnic while loud gunfire pierced the night air. Angry shouts and cries were heard as well, causing Tracer to freeze in fear as a lone figure appeared at the top of the riverbed. It was a young woman in her mid-thirties with medium black hair, tan-colored skin, and wearing a blue military uniform. There was a tattoo on her left eye depicting a curved and straight line, causing Tracer to suddenly realize who she was.

"Ana!" Tracer exclaimed.

The young woman looked down in the riverbed with a surprised look on her face. She then looked around briefly and slid down the slope of the riverbed. Before Tracer had the chance to speak, Ana pushed her down and covered her mouth as a rapid hail of bullets fired above them.

As the bullets ceased, Ana hissed, " _Stay still and be very quiet._ "

Not questioning Ana, Tracer did this as the sound of wheels followed. On the other side of the riverbed, a miniature tank emerged. It rotated its cannon sideways and back before firing causing Tracer's ears to ring loudly. Afterwards, the small tank retreated backward causing Ana to sigh and crawl forward down the riverbed. With her ears still ringing, Tracer didn't move until several armed men showed up and fired several automatic machine-guns overhead. The miniature tank came back along with two others who then transformed into tall human-looking robots with machine gun arms. This caused the soldiers to retreat as the robots unleashed heavy gunfire on them.

To be continued…


	41. Stage 41: Interrogation!

Stage 41: Interrogation!

Inside a small room with an overhead light, two people sat at a holographic table with metal chairs staring at each other. One of them was Junkrat, who had his feet propped up on the table, while the other was Soldier: 76 sitting erect with his arms folded. On the other side of a double-sided glass window stood Winston and Ana.

" _Do you know why you're here, Jamison Fawkes?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

Junkrat rubbed one of his ears. "Is that a trick question?"

" _It is,_ " Soldier: 76 said as he got up with his knuckles on the table. " _You catch on pretty quick, for a Junker._ "

"What's that supposed to mean?" Junkrat said irritably. "We Junkers have to be quick-thinking, otherwise you'll wind up dead in Junkertown's sewers."

" _I was being sarcastic,_ " replied Soldier: 76 who pressed a button which brought up an image of Tracer. " _Now let's cut to the chase. Do you know where Tracer is?_ "

"No."

" _Are you sure?_ "

"Sounds like you don't trust me."

" _I don't. Since this semester started, you've proven to be nothing more than an annoying punk! Your grades are low, you've wound up in detention several times, and I've received numerous complaints about you! If this keeps up, I might have to expel you._ "

"Fine. I didn't need school to get an education, anyway."

Soldier: 76 raised an eyebrow. " _So you want to go to jail?_ "

"No! I thought we were past that stupid agreement."

" _Not at all, Jamison, I've been holding to that agreement we made since you enrolled here. Maybe I've been too generous and let you get away with some things, but now you've crossed a line._ "

"You can't be serious, mate!"

" _Do I look like I'm joking?_ " Soldier: 76 grabbed Junkrat's feet and pushed him back causing Junkrat to fall off his chair. Before he could get up, Soldier: 76 stood over him and bellowed, " _Causing pranks around campus is one thing, but making a student vanish completely? That's going too far! Now if you're not going to cooperate, punk, then I have no choice but to send you and Mako to one of Sydney's Correctional Centers!_ "

Junkrat's eyebrows furrowed. "Mako's got nothing to do with this."

" _He's your caretaker, so that makes him an accomplice to the crime-in-question._ "

"What crime? You think _I_ made her disappear?"

" _I'm not sure, but we'll soon find out. So let me ask you again: where is Tracer?_ "

"I have no idea, mate. She was lying on the ground one minute, then there was a flash of light, and she was gone."

" _What was in that grenade you launched?_ "

"Nothing special, mate, except for the usual stuff that makes it blow up."

" _Were you intending to hurt Tracer?_ "

"Yeah, but not kill her if that's what you're implying."

" _I'm not implying anything. Now according to Reinhardt, you and Tracer were evenly matched in combat but during the Hero Bash Tournament you were able to take her down quite easily._ "

"I did some practice before the Tournament."

" _Really? Then how do you explain this?_ "

Soldier: 76 walked back to the table and pressed another button which brought up a video that showed Junkrat walking up to the front of the boys' dorm. He stopped the footage just as Junkrat walked toward someone who was standing slightly out of the frame.

" _This was security footage taken the night before the tournament around 8 PM,_ " Soldier: 76 explained. " _It shows you talking to someone offscreen, which in of itself is not unusual but the conversation got pretty interesting._ "

Another button was pressed and the video now had sound.

" _Widowmaker?_ " Junkrat said in the video. " _What are you doing here?_ "

" _That is not important,_ " Widowmaker responded. " _I came by to tell you that you'll be fighting Tracer tomorrow._ "

Junkrat seemed startled. " _How'd you get wind of that?_ "

Widowmaker's leg moved out of the frame completely. " _I cannot reveal my sources, for they are…confidential._ "

" _If you didn't want to tell me, just say so!_ "

" _Don't be angry with me, Junkrat. I'm here to help you._ "

" _In what way?_ "

" _I can tell you how to defeat Tracer._ "

With his back to the camera, Junkrat's arms folded. " _I'm listening._ "

" _But in exchange, you must do something for me._ "

" _Such as?_ "

" _I can't say unless you agree to my terms._ "

" _Fine._ "

There was a pause, and then Widowmaker said, " _In order to effectively win against Tracer, all you have to do is damage the device she wears around her chest._ "

" _That's it?_ "

" _Oui_."

" _All right. Thanks for the tip. Now about that favor I owe you?_ "

" _We'll discuss it at a later time, but for now we must part._ "

Then before the footage could continue, Soldier: 76 turned off the video.

"Isn't it illegal to record audio on security cameras?" Junkrat said as he got up from the floor.

Soldier: 76 waited for Junkrat to seat himself before speaking. " _Have you had previous interactions with Widowmaker before?_ "

"No."

" _Does she strike you as the type to be associated with Talon?_ "

"I don't know. What makes you think Talon agents would pose as high school students?"

After a pause, Soldier: 76 turned off the holographic table. " _That will be all, Jamison. You'll be put under supervised suspension until Tracer is found._ "

"Aw, man, give me a break!" Junkrat said as he left the room with Soldier: 76 following.

As Soldier: 76 escorted Junkrat away, Ana and Winston turned to each other in the other room.

"Was this interrogation helpful to you?" Ana asked.

"It did confirm some suspicions I had about Junkrat," Winston replied as he adjusted his glasses. "He was clearly unaware that destroying the Chronal Accelerator would cause Tracer to vanish into the time-stream, but this would mean Widowmaker knew and so she must be the hacker."

"Have Genji and Zenyatta confirmed this?"

"No, they're still in cyberspace."

"That doesn't give us much evidence to convict Widowmaker of being a Talon agent."

"The security footage is plenty, though I'm not sure I approve of the audio recording, but I'll let you know if any new developments occur."

Winston was about to walk out of the room when Ana turned to him. "Is there any chance of bringing Tracer back?"

"There is," Winston said confidently. "But I'll have to work fast to make it possible."

To be continued…


	42. Stage 42: Voices!

Stage 42: Voices!

As the sounds of gunfire and battle cries vanished, Tracer found herself once again in the time-stream tunnel. Unable to move, she drifted through the endless void until a familiar voice called out to her.

"Daddy?" Tracer said after realizing who the voice belonged to.

She was about to call for him when the time-stream tunnel vanished and was replaced by a concrete runway. The impact hurt tremendously, which was then followed by the scuffle of feet. Anxiously, Tracer got on her knees but as soon as she did her nose started bleeding.

"Are you okay?"

Tracer's eyes panned up to see a man in his mid-thirties wearing an aviator pilot's jacket, a pair of brown slacks, and leather shoes. She recognized the man's face as being her father's, but couldn't believe it was really him.

"Seems you've taken a nasty fall," the man said, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a white handkerchief. "Here, use this."

Tracer reluctantly took the handkerchief and pinched it against her nose to stop the bleeding.

"Can you stand?" the man asked.

In response, Tracer nodded and used one hand to pull herself upward. Then just as she started to lose balance, the man caught her mid-fall.

"Whoa, easy there," the man responded as he steadied Tracer onto her feet. "Wouldn't want to repeat the same accident."

While Tracer didn't say anything, the man took notice of Tracer's jacket and was baffled.

"Your jacket kind of looks like mine," the man observed. "Are you a new recruit?"

"To what?" Tracer said through a clogged nose.

"The Royal Air Force," the man answered proudly.

Speechless, Tracer said nothing.

"Did you hear what I said?"

"Yeah, but I'm not a recruit for the Royal Air Force," Tracer responded, shaking her head. "I actually work…for Overwatch."

The man's eyes widened. "You're from Overwatch? You look awfully young to be an agent."

"I was recruited recently because of some…special talents I have."

"Like what?"

"I'd rather not say. It's…confidential."

"Ah, I see. Well, if you're here to speak to Dr. Winston he's at the control-tower. Would you like me to take you to him?"

"Uh, yes, I need to speak to him right away!"

"Okay, then," the man started walking down the runway. "I'm a friend of the doctor's. My name is George Oxton. What's yours?"

As the man turned around, Tracer disappeared.

###

"So how does this work, Winston?" Zarya wondered, staring at a device that was shaped like a heart monitor only there was one line and it was flat.

"Simple, really," Winston said as he adjusted the wires coming out of a glass tube in his lab. "Once I fill the Time Capsule up with Chronal Energy I'll attach that machine, which I've nicknamed the Time Anomaly Monitor or TAM for short, to the Time Capsule which should be able to detect Tracer as she's traveling through the time-stream."

"And what will you do once you've found her?" Pharah asked standing by Genji and Zenyatta who were still unresponsive.

"Then I'll send an audio message into the Time Capsule with this." Winston pointed to a speaker inside the capsule and a microphone he was holding. "If she hears it, then she'll need to concentrate on the source of the voice in order to be transported back here."

"But you said she can't stay in one place for too long," Pharah reminded Winston. "If there's a constant flow of Chronal Energy in the Time Capsule, then she might leave."

"As soon as Tracer's in the Time Capsule, I'll cut off the Chronal Energy flow and restore the Anti-Chronal Energy particles which will keep her here for sure," Winston said.

"Can I do something?" Zarya interrupted. "I don't know a lot about this stuff, but I would still like to help."

"Just watch the line on the TAM machine and let me know when it starts moving," Winston replied as he hooked the machine to the Time Capsule's base.

Next, Winston threw a switch next to the Time Capsule which suddenly caused the tube to be filled with bright light. The glass held firmly despite how warped it looked. Satisfied, Winston monitored the light as it grew dimmer till it was faint blue haze that shimmered every now and then. Zarya watched the TAM machine closely, then to her surprise the straight line suddenly started to wobble.

"Winston! The line moved!" Zarya exclaimed.

Curious, Winston walked over to Zarya and looked at the line.

"The signal's not as strong as I predicted," Winston frowned. "But it'll have to do for now."

Picking up the microphone, Winston made a low humming noise which vibrated from the speaker inside the Time Capsule but it sounded warped and faint.

"Will she be able to hear that?" Pharah said.

"Let's hope so," Winston responded and put his mouth up to the microphone. "Lena! Can you hear me? This is Winston! Focus on my voice to get back to the present!"

Inside the Time Capsule, Winston's voice became wobbly and distorted before trailing off. Winston then repeated the message two more times and turned off the microphone.

The three waited silently for something to happen, as the minutes on the clock in Winston's lab turned to hours.

###

Inside the time-stream, Tracer was reflecting on the fact that she had just seen her father again and the voice she heard earlier.

 _That couldn't have been my father,_ she thought. _Unless I was hearing him from the past…_

Before she could reflect on the matter any further, another voice came through but it was much fainter and further away. Tracer listened to the voice closely, and suddenly recognized who it was.

"Winston?" Tracer said. "Is that you?"

When she didn't hear anything back, her heart sank.

 _Maybe I was hearing things_ , Tracer thought. _But wait…if hearing my father's voice brought me to him, then maybe if I concentrate on Winston's voice it might take me back to the present!_

So Tracer concentrated on the voice she heard and saw the time-stream vanishing once more.

To be continued…


	43. Stage 43: Coincidence and Cover-Up!

Stage 43: Coincidence and Cover-Up!

To Tracer's surprise, she ended up falling into another hallway but this one had a large circular window. Once she got her bearings, Tracer looked out the window and was shocked to see the earth hovering in complete darkness.

"Great Scott!" Tracer exclaimed. "I'm on the Lunar Colony, which means…

A pair of footsteps made Tracer panic and run down the hallway. She encountered a circular door and attempted to open it but to no avail. There were no places to hide here, so Tracer was forced to confront the person who stopped upon seeing her.

It was a young man in his thirties wearing a long white lab-coat, maroon-colored slacks, a matching sweater, and wearing a pair of dark square-framed glasses. He seemed quite baffled by Tracer's presence, then from behind the man's legs appeared a small gorilla with bright yellow eyes. It looked up at Tracer with fascination but was too nervous to leave the man's side.

"Um, hi, Doctor Winston," Tracer said hesitantly.

The man raised his eyebrows and adjusted his glasses. "How do you know my name?"

"Well, it's a long story," Tracer responded. "You see, I'm Lena Oxton…from the future. My Chronal Accelerator got severely damaged and I've been drifting through the time-stream without staying in one particular time for too long. If you don't believe me, check my DNA but be quick about it or I'll fade into the time-stream again!"

Tracer was on the verge of tears while Doctor Winston adjusted his glasses further. The young gorilla looked between Winston and Tracer but was still baffled.

"If what you're saying is true, then that means my invention does succeed," Doctor Winston said thoughtfully. "I was going to call it the Time Anchor, but the Chronal Accelerator sounds much better by comparison."

"Excuse me?" Tracer said irritably.

"Sorry," Doctor Winston apologized. "I was just thinking out loud. This is such a strange turn of events...I don't know how to proceed."

"Do you have a Time Capsule?"

"Yes, but it's currently being occupied by you."

"You mean my younger self?"

"Yes, though I'm not sure if two people can fit inside let alone the same person."

"Why not?"

"There's a strong likelihood that a paradox will result if you meet your younger self, so I would rather not take any chances."

"Then what can you do?"

"I suppose I could give you the Chrono Accelerator prototype to use for the time-being until I can find a way to send you back to the future."

"Will it work?"

"Let's hope so for your sake."

###

Several days later, the line on the TAM machine started to wobble more violently.

"What does that mean?" Zarya asked.

"It means Tracer's signal is getting stronger," Winston said. "So she's either closer to us in the time-stream or has landed somewhere that has strong Anti-Chronal Energy."

"Where would that be?"

"If I had to guess, she would've had to appear during a time when my former caretaker was still alive and found a way to keep her situated in that time-period. But the chances of Tracer running into him are highly unlikely."

"I'm not so sure," Pharah said, chiming in. "When I asked Ana about Widowmaker's interrogation, she recalled seeing someone who looked like Tracer during a battle with the Omnics on the Numbani plains."

"Seems too coincidental, but it's certainly not impossible," Winston replied. "By the way, how did the interrogation with Widowmaker go?"

"She denied every single accusation, claiming she did not meet Junkrat outside the boys' dorm and was actually in her room studying," Pharah answered.

"Did Ana believe her?"

"Not in the slightest, until Symmetra confessed to borrowing Widowmaker's battle-outfit and pretending to be her in front of Junkrat."

Winston raised an eyebrow. "What was her motivation?"

"She wanted to get revenge on Tracer for helping the Blue Team win during the Payload Competition so Symmetra hacked into the school system, looked at Tracer's profile, and tipped Junkrat on Tracer's weakness by pretending to be Widowmaker in order to not get blamed should the whole thing be uncovered."

"Was there any evidence to back up her claim?"

"Yes. Solder: 76 found security footage of Symmetra leaving her dorm with Widowmaker's battle-outfit while Widowmaker never left."

"Something doesn't seem right about that."

"That's what I thought too, but there's nothing we have that could disprove her claim."

"Except for Genji and Zenyatta, but they're still searching for the hacker."

" _We are getting so close,_ " Genji muttered, causing everyone to look at him. " _We just need a little more time._ "

"At this rate, you might have to repeat Freshman year, Cyborg," Zarya remarked.

" _We'll see about that,_ " Genji snidely remarked before he went under once more.

###

"Comfortable?" Doctor Winston asked as Tracer put on the Chronal Accelerator prototype which was bulkier and less form-fitting.

"Not really," Tracer said, feeling her shoulders sag under the heavy weight of the device.

"Now let's see if it actually works," Doctor Winston said, and pressed a button on the front.

The familiar blue circle lit up on the front but then it started to fade.

"Oh, dear," Doctor Winston remarked. "Still got a problem with the battery. We'll have to plug it into the Chronal Energy Tube for now."

Tracer stifled a groan as Doctor Winston took some wires from a large glass tube that was full of blue shimmering energy and attached them to the back of the prototype.

"How long do you think this will take?" Tracer asked, feeling restrained.

"Hard to say," Doctor Winston said. "First, I'll need to take a blood sample from you. Then after extracting Chronal Energy from the cells that are chronologically dissociated, I plan to have Gaia do a thorough scan of the energy in order to trace where it came from. Once that's done, I'll have you point out which era is yours and from there we should be able to find a way to send you back."

"Who's Gaia?"

"She's my personal AI," Doctor Winston answered, and held up a tablet with a screen depicting the letter 'G' outlined inside a green sphere. "Say 'hello', Gaia."

" _Hello,_ " said a deep female voice that came from the tablet. " _Who am I addressing?_ "

"My name is Len – Tracer," Tracer responded when Doctor Winston shook his head.

" _Tracer? What an unusual name,_ " the AI remarked.

"It's a Call-Sign," Tracer explained.

" _Ah, that makes more sense. Do you work for Overwatch?_ "

"Kind of."

" _Which city are you stationed in?_ "

"That's enough, Gaia," Doctor Winston said sternly.

" _Sorry, Doctor Winston. I tend to get carried away sometimes._ "

"Indeed you do," Doctor Winston nodded before putting away the tablet.

To be continued…


	44. Stage 44: Paradox!

Stage 44: Paradox!

The following morning, Pharah went to see Winston who seemed to be in deep thought.

"Is something troubling you?" Pharah said as she approached the large ape.

"It's nothing important," Winston replied. "Lately, I've been having these weird dreams of the Lunar Colony with Tracer in them."

"Could they be memories?" Pharah guessed. "She lived on the Lunar Colony for a brief time, right?"

"Yes, but I see her the way she is now and not the child she was," Winston answered.

"Odd."

"Maybe you've been working too hard," Hanzo said, appearing in the doorway of Winston's lab. "Is there someone else who could help us?"

"Unfortunately, no," Winston said remorsefully.

"But if Tracer's with Doctor Winston right now, then he might find a way to send her to us," Pharah suggested.

"A distinct possibility, though Tracer's signal hasn't moved in a while," Winston said adjusting his glasses.

"Then what is that?" Hanzo asked, pointing to the TAM machine.

On the black screen, there were two lines. One was flat while the other moved constantly.

"I'm not sure," Winston said. "It might be a glitch, though I can't have Athena scan it until Genji and Zenyatta leave cyberspace."

###

A day had passed since Tracer arrived on the Lunar Colony, and she was extremely bored. Doctor Winston had her hooked up to the Chronal Accelerator prototype constantly and the only thing she could talk to was Gaia, but all the AI did was ask questions.

" _You bear a strong resemblance to a little girl that lives here named Lena Oxton,_ " Gaia observed. " _Are you a relative of hers?_ "

"No," Tracer answered irritably.

" _How strange…according to Doctor Winston's scanner, your blood-sample contains the exact same DNA as Lena's. Now that's impossible by logical standards, so if you could explain why this is it would allow me to think more clearly about the situation._ "

Tracer sighed. "I'm Lena Oxton from the future, and the only reason I'm here is because this device, the Chronal Accelerator, gets damaged."

Gaia was silent for a few moments before speaking. " _Why didn't you tell me?_ "

"Because Doctor Winston told me not to."

" _Did he say why?_ "

"Not really," Tracer said shaking her head.

" _Then I'll ask him myself._ "

There was a long period of silence which Tracer felt somewhat grateful for. She then swerved back and forth in her metal chair without breaking the cords that were attached to the prototype. But upon hearing a faint voice, Tracer stopped.

"Doctor Winston? Is that you?" Tracer asked, but heard nothing back.

She heard the voice again and turned toward where the source seemed to be coming from. To her surprise, it was the Chronal Energy Tube as the blue energy inside rippled and vibrated with distant sounds that formed partial words. Tracer caught only a few which sounded like 'Can', 'Hear', and distinctly 'Winston'.

"Winston!" Tracer exclaimed, stumbling toward the Chronal Energy Tube. "I'm here! With Doctor Winston, on the Lunar Colony!"

Pressing her face against the glass tube, Tracer repeated her message but the energy ripples ceased and there was silence once more. Distraught, Tracer hit the tube with her fist but found it to be surprisingly sturdy. Rubbing her aching fist, Tracer felt tears welling up in her eyes when suddenly an idea came to her head.

"It might not work, given how primitive this thing is," Tracer said, looking down at the Chronal Accelerator prototype. Then she looked toward the Chronal Energy Tube. "But if I concentrate hard enough, and with a huge power-supply, there's a chance something might happen."

After taking a deep breath, Tracer concentrated on moving forward in time. The Chronal Accelerator prototype vibrated as she felt a surge of energy flowing through it from the tube. Electrical sparks erupted from the cords, causing Tracer to become doubtful for a second but despite this she kept focusing on the future.

###

"Tracer's moving again, Winston!" Pharah said, pointing to the flat line as it wobbled intensely.

"Excellent!" Winston exclaimed. "Now all we have to do is—

A bright light suddenly erupted from the Time Capsule, causing the glass to shatter and the Chronal Energy to leak out into the lab. Everyone was thrown back by it, including Genji and Winston who were automatically unplugged from the computer-screen. As they lay down on the floor in an unconscious stupor, Winston Genji and Pharah were trying to get out of the dorm-room but another bright flash knocked them down. Then everything in the room started to get pulled into the vortex of Chronal Energy, forcing the three to hold onto anything they could grab.

"What's happening?" Pharah shouted, holding onto the door handle.

"It's some kind of Chronal Energy Surge!" Winston responded, being dragged toward the light. "Which means that either a paradox is occurring or time itself is collapsing!"

"Do you know which one it is?" Hanzo demanded, pushing himself into a corner.

"No!" Winston cried as he fell into the vortex and vanished completely.

###

Tracer found herself back in the time-stream only she was going through it really fast and saw several images flash before her eyes before a bright light blinded her. When her eyes opened, she was lying on the concrete floor of the stadium with Junkrat pointing his Frag Launcher at her chest.

"Ever get the feeling of déjà vu?" Tracer asked out loud.

"Huh?" Junkrat said tilting his head.

Before he could respond, Tracer kicked the Frag Launcher out of his hand and lunged forward tackling him to the ground. He tried to reach for a Concussion Mine but she grabbed both of his hands and put her knee on his crouch area to make him stop squirming.

"Okay, okay, I give up!" Junkrat said uncurling his fists.

"Good," Tracer said and lowered her knee. "Now what's all this about Widowmaker tipping you off about me?"

A loud cheering from the crowd forced Junkrat into silence as Lúcio came over and held Tracer's hand up.

"Unbelievable!" Lúcio exclaimed as Tracer reluctantly got to her feet along with Junkrat. "Thanks to Tracer's quick maneuvering, she was able to force Junkrat to surrender and win the first match of the first round! Anything you'd like to say to the crowd, Tracy?"

"Um, not at the moment," Tracer said looking down at her Chronal Accelerator which was still intact but the light was turned off. "Could someone get me to Winston ASAP? It's really important!"

To be continued…


	45. Stage 45: Proof and Protection!

Stage 45: Proof and Protection!

"It's a good thing you came to me just in time," Winston said as he used a pen-shaped laser to fix a section of the Chronal Accelerator. "Otherwise, you would've disappeared like you almost did two months ago."

"But I did disappear," Tracer insisted as she sat cross-legged inside the Time Capsule. "And wound up traveling to various time-periods and meeting several important people including a future version of yourself and my father. Then it wasn't until I came across Doctor Winston that I stopped time-traveling because he fitted me with a Chronal Accelerator prototype and I was able to figure out a way to get back here thanks to hearing your voice through a Chronal Energy Tube the doctor had me hooked up to."

Winston turned off the laser and gave Tracer a dubious stare. "How can you prove that? If what you're saying is true, then you had to have traveled back to the exact moment you disappeared and prevented yourself from disappearing which would've erased all the events that followed."

"That's exactly what happened. Junkrat launched a grenade when I was lying on the ground during the fight, forcing me to Blink which caused me to disappear. So I returned to right before he launched the grenade, disarmed him, and won the fight. But then if you can't remember anything that happened after I disappeared, how come I do?"

"Your cells are chronologically dissociated," Winston responded as he turned the laser back on. "Therefore, you're never truly attached to the present and so for you this is a paradox of sorts."

"I see." Tracer adjusted her legs. "Before Junkrat fired his grenade, he said, 'Widow's tip paid off' which made me realize he was referring to Widowmaker."

"Did he say that before you disarmed him?"

"No, he didn't."

"Then why bring up something that didn't even happen?"

"Because it means Widowmaker knew my weakness, which she could've only gotten by hacking into the student files so that means she's the hacker!"

Winston removed his glasses to clean them. "I have considered Widowmaker as a definite suspect, given the French phrase Athena found, but until Zenyatta and Genji trace the hacker we have nothing to validate that theory of yours."

###

With the lockdown over, the students of Overwatch High gladly went off-campus and enjoyed themselves. But for some reason, all the teachers who were all on edge. Proof of this was the increasing number of assignments and detentions, forcing Tracer to tell Mercy about Zenyatta and Genji's condition.

"Why didn't you tell Jack about this?" Mercy asked after Tracer was done explaining.

"Because I have issues talking with him," Tracer said reluctantly.

"I know he can be harsh sometimes, but he's only concerned about protecting everybody."

"From Talon? Or something else?"

Mercy's shoulders stiffened. "I have another appointment waiting for me. We'll talk more about this some other time."

The door slammed in Tracer's face before she could protest. Then the warning bell rang, forcing Tracer to get to class. She decided to stay after Hero Ethics to talk to Soldier: 76 who seemed to be in deep thought about something.

"Um, Soldier: 76," Tracer said, getting his attention.

" _What?_ " Soldier: 76 said irritably.

"Is something bothering you?" Tracer asked.

Soldier: 76 shook his head. " _It_ _'_ _s nothing you should be concerned with._ "

"I should think so. You're worried about that man, aren't you?"

" _Which one?_ "

"The guy that kidnapped Scourge."

After some hesitation, Soldier: 76 said, " _I thought Ana made it clear that you were_ never _to talk about that incident._ "

"Then there is something going on?"

" _Did you come here to question me or to speak about something?_ "

Taking the hint, Tracer changed the subject. "The reason I wanted to talk to you is because Zenyatta and Genji…aren't actually sick because of an Omnic virus like I said. They're currently in cyberspace trying to locate the hacker who's been breaking into the school files. Sorry I lied."

" _Was sending them into cyberspace your idea?_ " Soldier: 76 asked sternly.

"Yes, but they did it of their own free will."

" _It doesn_ _'_ _t matter. You_ _'_ _ve endangered their lives doing that! Especially Genji, who_ _'_ _s part human for god_ _'_ _s sake!_ "

"He's not fully plugged in! Only the machine part of him is!"

" _Where are they now?_ "

"In Winston's lab," Tracer answered reluctantly.

" _Is he aware they_ _'_ _re in there?_ "

"He was the one who insisted on keeping the whole endeavor secret until the hacker could be found, so yeah."

In response, Soldier: 76 tucked away his tablet and stormed out of the classroom. Tracer tried to follow him, but he dashed ahead so quickly that he was several feet away from her. Frustrated, Tracer Blinked ahead till she was running alongside Soldier: 76.

"Where are you going?" Tracer demanded as Soldier: 76 ran further ahead.

Tracer eventually followed him to the boys' dorm and deliberately slowed herself down to not get seen by Soldier: 76. He stopped in front of the room which Hanzo was about to enter.

"Soldier: 76," Hanzo said with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

" _Stand aside, Hanzo,_ " Soldier: 76 ordered. " _I'm here to get your brother and the Omnic out of cyberspace for good._ "

"You can't do that!" Tracer yelled, getting Soldier: 76 and Hanzo's attention. "They're so close to finding the hacker anyway!"

" _Did I say you could follow me?_ " Soldier: 76 said as he gave Tracer a glaring look. " _This is no longer your problem!_ "

"What's going on?" Winston muttered as he opened the door much to everyone's surprise. Upon seeing Soldier: 76 and Tracer, he said, "Did you tell him, Tracer?"

"I thought he could help us," Tracer said as the light on her chest lit up. "Guess I was wrong."

As Tracer Recalled back to the dorm entrance, she had tears rolling down her cheeks.

To be continued…


	46. Stage 46: Preparation!

Stage 46: Preparation!

In the days that followed, Genji and Zenyatta were closely monitored by Reinhardt to make sure they didn't enter cyberspace again. Meanwhile, Hanzo was pitted against Zarya during the second match of the first round and lost despite using the Dragonstrike technique. Then the third and final battle of the first round ended with Widowmaker poisoning D. Va using a Venom Mine after causing her to Self-Destruct MEKA. So with the second round coming up that Friday, Tracer decided to spend every amount of free-time she had preparing for it.

"How far did I go?" Tracer asked after Blinking ahead.

Hanzo got up from the bleachers and counted the number of steps between Tracer's past and current location.

"Seven meters," Hanzo stated.

"Ugh!" Tracer groaned, looking down at the diminished light on her chest. "I still can't get past my limit."

"Maybe instead of focusing on the limit, you should try to aim past it."

"How?"

"If time flows like a river, see yourself as the fish swimming through it instead of the rock standing in it."

"Wow, did you make that one up yourself?"

"It was something my sensei taught me."

"In regard to what?"

Nervously, Hanzo said, "At the time, my firing accuracy was poor. So sensei had me envision myself as the arrow, which is the fish in the metaphor, as I fired it from my bow."

"And did it work?"

"You've seen the results."

"Oh, yeah, you are a pretty good shot."

"But it wasn't enough to win against Zarya."

"She's pretty tough, so I wouldn't blame yourself."

"My pride was what did me in. That's why I lost."

There was a brief period of silence and then Tracer's Chronal Accelerator fully recharged itself allowing Tracer to continue practicing.

###

On the day of the second round, Tracer was told she would fight against the victor of the first match which was between Zarya and Widowmaker. This in turn allowed her to prepare further, though the uncertainty of who would win forced Tracer to consider different strategies.

"Zarya's all about brute strength, so I would have to use more evasive maneuvering to win against her," Tracer said to Genji under the watchful eye of Reinhardt who stood nearby in his battle armor. "But if Widowmaker wins—

" _Then you will have to be just as stealthy as she is,_ " Genji said.

"What makes you say that?" Tracer asked.

" _I have Stealth 101 with her, which isn't required for my Class, and we're the best students._ "

"Oh," Tracer looked down at the Chronal Accelerator. "Do you think I stand a chance?"

" _If you use the Chronal Accelerator wisely, I think so._ "

" _Visiting time is up, Tracer!_ " Reinhardt said through his helmet.

"Okay," Tracer said as she left Genji and Zenyatta's room. "I was just about to leave, anyway."

At the stadium, Tracer witnessed the tail end of Zarya's match. To Tracer's surprise, Zarya was hit by one of Widowmaker's Venom Mines but she didn't pass out.

" _Quoi?_ " Widowmaker said with a slightly annoyed look.

"Before match, I built up immunity to poisonous fumes," Zarya said grinning. "Now I can withstand your venom, spider girl!"

"Really?" Widowmaker took out another Venom Mine and activated it. "Then let's see how many you can endure."

Without hesitation, Widowmaker threw the second Venom Mine at Zarya. Immediately, Zarya activated a force-field-like barrier around herself which knocked the Venom Mine away. Irritated, Widowmaker took out her sniper rifle and transformed it into an automatic which fired several rounds of gunfire at the barrier. Confident in the barrier's strength, Zarya took a step forward and fired her Particle Cannon. In a split second, Widowmaker got down and threw another Venom Mine at Zarya's feet which exploded just as the barrier diminished. This time, Zarya fell to her knees as she started coughing.

"Aw, did that sting?" Widowmaker said and prepared a fourth Venom Mine. "Would you like another one?"

"Hold it!" Lúcio said as he skated down from the platform to the stadium. "Attempting to fatally wound a fellow competitor is _not_ allowed, Miss Widowmaker! Now, Zarya, if you're in no condition to fight then I suggest you forfeit the match."

"I will not surrender," Zarya muttered as she tried to stand.

Unfortunately, her knees gave out and Zarya was lying on the ground in a paralyzed state. The crowd gasped, including Tracer, as Lúcio reluctantly held up Widowmaker's hand declaring her the winner. Tracer's eyes met Widowmaker's as the two glared at each other for a solid minute.

###

"How's she doing?" Tracer asked Mercy as she was healing Zarya with the Caduceus Staff.

"She'll be fine," Mercy said assuringly. "Her immunity system managed to combat most of the poison, but there are still traces of it here and there."

"That's good," Tracer sighed and squeezed Zarya's shoulder. "Don't worry, luv. I'll beat Widowmaker in your place!"

"Be careful," Zarya said putting a hand on Tracer's. "I would hate to lose you."

"I promise," Tracer replied and left the infirmary.

In the stadium, Tracer noticed Widowmaker loading bullets into her sniper rifle. When she finished, she turned to Tracer and scuffed.

Tracer folded her arms. "What'cha looking at?"

"An annoyance," Widowmaker replied cocking her rifle.

"Are you ladies ready?" Lúcio asked over the speakers.

"You bet!" Tracer said and stood in a running position.

"Of course," Widowmaker responded.

"Begin!" Lúcio cried.

Immediately, Widowmaker switched her rifle to automatic mode and fired. Tracer quickly Blinked and saw the bullets fly past her in a slow blue-tinted blur before knocking Widowmaker down. The two wrestled on the ground for several minutes until Widowmaker placed a Venom Mine on the Chronal Accelerator. Before it went off, Tracer Recalled a few seconds back and grabbed Widowmaker's hands before she could reach for a Venom Mine.

"So it is true," Widowmaker calmly stated. "You really can travel through time."

Before Tracer could respond, Widowmaker kicked her off and tossed the Venom Mine she was planning to throw. Tracer dodged it, but Widowmaker picked up her sniper rifle and fired a shot. The bullet lodged itself into Tracer's knee, causing her to lose balance. This allowed Widowmaker to activate another Venom Mine and throw it in Tracer's direction. Tracer Recalled once more but this time she Blinked instead of dodged and punched Widowmaker in the face. As she went down, Tracer took her sniper rifle and pointed it at Widowmaker's head.

"How does it feel to have the tables turned on you?" Tracer said gleefully.

" _Merde_ ," Widowmaker muttered as she held the side of her cheek that got punched. "You'll be getting the widow's kiss soon."

Then Widowmaker threw another Venom Mine at Tracer. As it exploded, Tracer backed away but Widowmaker was close enough to pass out from the fumes. In response, Lúcio declared Tracer the winner while Mercy took Widowmaker away.

To be continued…


	47. Stage 47: Assassination Attempt!

Stage 47: Assassination Attempt!

Later that night, Tracer was on the verge of sleep when she suddenly heard a low but audible beeping sound. Annoyed, she opened her eyes and beheld a large circular object with a blinking red light. Confused, Tracer got up and tried to pry the circular object from her chest. Unfortunately, the object wouldn't budge. So Tracer forced herself to Recall back to when she had just gotten into bed and forced herself to stay awake with her eyes closed.

A few moments later, she heard the main dorm-room door open quietly followed by a soft pair of footsteps. Tracer braced herself as the footsteps came closer and stopped next to her bed. Cautiously, Tracer opened one eye and saw seven red lights staring down at her. Frightened, Tracer immediately stood up in bed. There was a sharp _gasp_ , and the footsteps quickly retreated.

"You're not getting away that easily!" Tracer cried as she Blinked from the floor.

Without bumping into the glass table, Tracer got into the living-room area before the seven lights did. As Tracer's eyes adjusted, she saw the outline of a person below the lights. Before she could see the person more clearly, an object came flying toward Tracer. Immediately, Tracer got out of the way as it attached to the wall behind her and exploded. As debris flew everywhere, Tracer was thrown across the room and knocked out.

###

"Tracer…Tracer!"

Feeling a light padding on her cheek, Tracer's eyes fluttered open. She saw Mercy's concerned face looking down at her along with Pharah and Zarya's.

"Am I dead?" Tracer said feeling energized and relaxed at the same time.

"You are good," Mercy responded as she turned off the Caduceus Staff.

"We heard loud noise and saw living-room destroyed," Zarya said sternly. "You weren't responsive, so Pharah and I called Ana who brought Mercy with her."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Pharah asked.

"That can wait," Ana said appearing next to Mercy. "Tracer is in no condition to answer such questions right now."

"Actually, I can," Tracer insisted, getting everyone's attention. "Though there isn't much to tell."

Ana looked at Mercy, who nodded, and said nothing as Tracer explained everything that happened to her.

When Tracer was done, Ana looked grim. "Did you see the person's face?"

Tracer shook her head. "No, all I saw were red lights over their eyes."

"That sounds like Widowmaker's recon visor," Pharah realized. "I remember her using them during the Payload Competition."

"But why would she try to kill Tracer?" Zarya asked.

"Maybe out of revenge for me winning the Hero Bash tournament," Tracer suggested.

"No, she is not the type to hold grudges," Mercy said. "And I have had many therapy sessions with her to prove it."

"There is also the weapon to consider," Ana interceded. "From what I know, Widowmaker's main weapons are a sniper rifle, venom-filled mines, and the Grappling Hook. Now based on your account and Mercy's diagnosis, there was no poison released in the air after the item exploded. So it had to be a bomb, and the only student I'm aware of who specializes in bombs—

"Is Junkrat," Tracer finished. "Though he's not the stealthy type."

"Plus, he would've had to steal Widowmaker's recon visor to be wearing them," Pharah said.

"Unless she gave them to him willingly," Tracer said. "But I highly doubt it."

"Why do you say that?" Ana asked.

"Junkrat and I may not get along, but I don't think he would sneak into the girls' dorm just to kill me," Tracer said doubtfully.

"Even though he has hated you for long time and was bitter after losing," Zarya said.

"Or it could've been someone else altogether," Ana furrowed her brows in deep thought. "Like a Talon agent."

Tracer's eyes widened. "Do you think it was because I saw that masked man?"

"It is possible, assuming he works for Talon," Ana said.

"Well, regardless of who did it, Tracer shouldn't sleep in her dorm tonight in case the assassin realizes she's not dead and tries again," Mercy noted.

"What about us?" Zarya wondered. "Are we in danger too?"

"Probably not," Ana said assuredly. "Though just in case, the three of you will stay here in the infirmary till morning while I stand guard."

"Shouldn't we let Soldier: 76 know?" Mercy said to Ana.

"I'll tell him about this tomorrow," Ana replied as she walked to the infirmary door. "But for now, get some rest."

###

While nothing happened the rest of the night, Soldier: 76 wasn't too happy once he heard the news. Though Ana tried to assure him that Tracer wasn't hurt, Soldier: 76 insisted upon sending her back home to Hollywood, CA.

"Don't be ridiculous, Jack," Ana said insistently. "The semester is almost over."

" _How can you say that?_ " Soldier: 76 snapped. " _Someone tried to harm_ my _adopted daughter, and your little girl could've been harmed as well if her door hadn't withheld against the blast._ "

"I know," Ana sighed. "But you have to think about how they feel. Would either of them be happy if we sent them home without asking their opinion?"

" _No, but it's for their own good._ "

"Even though it would affect their overall grade and force them to repeat certain classes?"

" _Academic careers mean nothing when their lives are in danger!_ "

"Then why did they come here? To become Heroes! They may be students, but if we send them home we'll be denying their dreams! You know as well as I that we must risk our lives to save others, and they would've had to learn this sooner or later."

Soldier: 76 was about to say something, but chose not to.

"Now if you're still concerned about Tracer, I am willing to have her stay with me for the rest of the semester. After that, you're free to decide what to do with her."

" _What about Pharah and Zarya?_ "

"I was planning to relocate them to a different dorm, but I'll talk to them first."

" _Then do that, and meet me at their current dorm to investigate the wreckage for clues on Tracer's would-be assassin. I have a strong hunch that Talon is somehow involved._ "

To be continued…


	48. Stage 48: Investigation!

Stage 48: Investigation!

After Soldier: 76 had agreed to let Tracer stay with Ana for the rest of the semester, Ana in turn asked Pharah and Zarya about moving to a different dorm.

"If it's not too much trouble, can I stay with you instead?" Zarya asked sheepishly.

Ana raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"

"To give Tracer extra protection," Zarya answered.

"I appreciate the offer, Zarya, but I'm more than capable of protecting Tracer."

"Not necessarily, mother," Pharah interrupted. "What if the assassin attacks Tracer while you are teaching a class or meeting with other students?"

Ana's eyes met Pharah's and she nodded. "Very well. I shall accommodate all three of you."

###

The next day, a forensic investigation was conducted in the decimated living-room area of Tracer's dorm. While Winston used Athena to scan the bomb's remains using a handheld tablet, Ana examined the room with her one eye and gloved hands. Meanwhile, Soldier: 76 stood outside and deterred anyone from entering without permission.

" _Found anything?_ " Soldier: 76 asked around noon.

"Quite a lot, actually," Winston said and showed Soldier: 76 his tablet with contained several images of the room with certain things highlighted. "By examining the bomb remains closely, Athena came to the conclusion that they match the kind of bombs Junkrat uses, though more specifically the Concussion Mine which can be attached to any surface and detonated remotely."

"But if it was him, then why do his footprints look different?" Ana asked.

"Hm?" Winston turned his head to the side.

"See for yourself," Ana said indicating several spots on the ground.

Winston used his tablet once again while Soldier: 76 watched closely. "I recognize some of these footprints as being Tracer's, but these others…they look like heels."

" _You're right,_ " Soldier: 76 nodded. " _If it was Junkrat, there would be one foot and one peg._ "

"Then it has to be Widowmaker," Ana said firmly. "She's the only student I know who has the skills to sneak into dorm-rooms and the red lights Tracer described sound a lot like the recon visor she tends to wear for combat."

"There's only one flaw in that theory," Winston said adjusting his glasses. "Why would Widowmaker use one of Junkrat's bombs to kill Tracer when she could have used one of her venom mines instead?"

"Perhaps she wanted to incriminate Junkrat for her actions."

" _We'll interrogate them both,_ " Soldier: 76 said, getting Winston and Ana's attention. " _But for now you need to get to class, Winston._ "

"Right away, sir," Winston nodded and bounded off on all-fours.

###

"Oi! What's the big idea?" Junkrat demanded, sitting in a chair inside the interrogation room.

" _I want to ask you a few questions,_ " Soldier: 76 said, entering the room. " _I'm sure you've heard about the recent incident that occurred in the girls' dormitory, correct?_ "

Junkrat scuffed. "Who hasn't? But what's it got to do with me?"

" _Depends on your answers,_ " replied Soldier: 76 as he held up a bag containing flakes of metal and wires. " _These are fragments from a bomb that was detonated inside one of the dorms, and you know whose life was threatened?_ "

"Not really," Junkrat said flatly. "But I guess you're going to tell me, anyway."

" _Tracer's._ "

"Oh," Junkrat looked around and pointed at himself. "And you think _I_ did it?"

" _Possibly._ "

"Just 'cos I'm the bomb expert? Aren't you jumping to conclusions a bit too fast, mate?"

" _That's what we're here to find out._ " Soldier: 76 set down the plastic bag and stood across from Junkrat with his arms folded. " _Where were you last night between 10 pm and midnight?_ "

"In my dorm, sleeping," Junkrat answered.

" _Was Lúcio with you?_ "

"Course he was! Can't go anywhere without him, right?"

" _That was the agreement regarding your 'sentence'. Now if you were asleep, then how did one of your bombs end up in Tracer's dorm-room?_ "

"Beats me!" Junkrat scratched the side of his chin thoughtfully. "Though I do recall counting my bomb collection before going to bed."

Soldier: 76 raised an eyebrow. " _Do you always count your bombs?_ "

"Every night," replied Junkrat. "It's not weird, is it?"

" _Does the Concussion Mine stick to surfaces and detonate remotely?_ "

"Yeah, how'd you know that?"

" _Our forensic examination of the bomb fragments concluded that it was a Concussion Mine._ "

"So that's why there was one less Concussion Mine than I thought," Junkrat said out loud to himself. "Someone took it while I wasn't looking, along with my Detonator which could've only been done while I was asleep."

" _Is the Detonator necessary to blow up the Concussion Mine?_ "

"Of course it is, you drongo!" A strong glare from Soldier: 76 made Junkrat sit back down.

" _One more question before I let you go: have you had any form of contact with Widowmaker up until the incident?_ "

Junkrat raised an eyebrow. "Is this important?"

" _Her recon visor and heels were found in your closet._ "

"Then, no, I haven't."

" _Are you sure?_ "

"Positive."

As Junkrat left the room, Ana stared at him intensely from the other side of the double-sided glass window along with McCree.

"He sounded truthful," Ana said after a pause. "But that last part—

"He's lying," McCree abruptly stated.

"What about everything else he said?" Ana asked.

"It's hard to say," McCree responded taking out an unlit cigar. "His reaction to the bomb implies that he's innocent, yet Junkers are known to be quite deceptive so I'm holding my breath till the investigation produces definite results."

"I feel the same way," Ana replied snatching the cigar from McCree just as he was about to light it. "Let's hope Widowmaker's interrogation isn't as murky as Junkrat's."

###

"Lúcio!" Reinhardt barked. "Are you listening to a word I'm saying?"

In response, Lúcio blinked and said, "Sorry, man, could you repeat that?"

Reinhardt groaned and responded, "With your Semester Finals coming up, I want you all to memorize the fighting moves I've taught and apply them to a special obstacle course that you'll be running through."

"You're joking, right?" D. Va exclaimed. "What do obstacle courses have to do with combat?"

"More than you think," Reinhardt said glaring at D. Va. "There will be situations where you have to navigate through a particular location and be prepared to take out any enemies that come your way. That's what the obstacle course represents, and I expect you to pass through it unscathed to get a passing grade."

Just then, the gym doors opened and Junkrat came storming in with McCree behind him.

"Don't mind me," McCree said as he casually strolled in. "I'm just dropping Junkrat off."

"Could've gotten here just fine, mate," Junkrat grumbled.

McCree glared at Junkrat for a second and then turned around. "He's all yours, Reinhardt."

Tracer watched as Junkrat reluctantly sat in the far back and gave her the stink eye. Not intimidated, Tracer stuck her tongue out at him and turned away.

To be continued…


	49. Stage 49: Suspect!

Stage 49: Suspect!

"No, I have never made contact with Junkrat," Widowmaker firmly said to Ana later that day.

"Yet we have found several items in his possession that we think belong to you," Ana said as she reached into the folds of her cloak. From it, she produced a recon visor with seven red lenses and a pair of black thigh-length heeled boots. "Any of these look familiar?"

" _Oui_ ," Widowmaker said, looking mildly surprised. "I recognize my recon visor and the boots that go with my combat suit. Junkrat must have stolen them."

"When did you notice they were missing?"

"I didn't notice until now."

"You don't sound convincing."

"Well, I am shocked."

Ana gave Widowmaker a confused look and then said, "What do you think of Tracer, the student whose life was threatened?"

Widowmaker's brow furrowed for a moment. "I fail to see the relevance of this to the case."

"Just answer the question."

"Personally, I do not like her."

"Why?"

"She's too reckless and immature, which are qualities that don't seem fitting for a Hero-to-be."

"You were the same way at her age, before the kidnapping."

Widowmaker flinched. "Thanks for reminding me."

"My apologies," Ana said regretfully. "How strong is your dislike for Tracer?"

"I would not kill her if that's what you're implying."

"Then do you really believe Junkrat was smart enough to steal your equipment, sneak into Tracer's dorm, and plant a bomb without getting caught?"

"If he had help, then yes."

"Help? From who?"

"I've heard rumors that there is a hacker who's been breaking into student files but not actually stealing information. Is that true?"

Reluctantly, Ana nodded.

"So what if Junkrat somehow got in contact with this hacker and had them aid him in attempting to kill Tracer."

"An interesting theory, but without any clear motivation on either side."

"Isn't it obvious? Junkrat has hated Tracer since the beginning of the semester but he hasn't been able to try doing away with her until this hacker, who I'm fairly certain is a Talon agent, gave him the opportunity to do it. Unfortunately, Junkrat and the hacker underestimated Tracer's abilities which is why they failed."

"That sounds plausible. You are dismissed for the time-being."

" _Merci_ ," Widowmaker said as she bowed her head slightly.

###

" _Why didn't you bring up the heel prints?_ " Soldier: 76 asked Ana once Widowmaker had left.

"Because I didn't need to," Ana replied. "Her reaction to Tracer was much stronger than Junkrat's, and her theory on the hacker seemed a bit too insightful."

" _So you're saying she's the one who tried to kill Tracer?_ "

Ana shook her head. "I'm not saying that, but it is more likely than I thought."

" _What more evidence do you need?_ "

"The security cameras," Ana said firmly. "What do they show?"

" _Not much,_ " Soldier: 76 said as he pressed a button which caused the lights in his office to dim. A holographic image appeared on his desk showing security camera footage from the girls' dorm. " _Here's what the hallway outside Tracer's dorm looked like during the time of the incident._ "

Soldier: 76 brought up the image and fast-forwarded it slightly. For the most part, the hallway was completely empty and dark. Then the screen seemed to flicker for a moment before returning to normal.

"Go back," Ana said, forcing Soldier: 76 to rewind. "Now play it frame-by-frame."

When Soldier: 76 did this, the brief flicker Ana saw turned into a black screen that lasted several seconds until the image became clear again.

"Why didn't you notice this?" Ana asked.

" _I just thought it was a glitch,_ " Soldier: 76 said flatly.

"This is too long to be a glitch, Jack," Ana said as she rewound the footage to the black screen. "This camera was disabled by something."

" _Or someone,_ " Soldier: 76 suggested.

###

That night in her one-room apartment, Ana looked through all the security footage and found the same black screen on every single one. She then looked at Winston's notes on the hacker based on what Genji and Zenyatta were able to gather from their time in cyberspace before her eyelids suddenly grew heavy. Fighting the urge to sleep, Ana shook her head and started reading Winston's notes.

"Sill working on the case?"

Surprised, Ana got up and saw Pharah standing in the doorway to the kitchen wearing an indigo-blue undershirt and black underwear with a booty cut.

"Fareeha," Ana exclaimed softly. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I was going to get a glass of water," Pharah answered, walking over to the fridge. "Any leads?"

"I'm not sure." Ana turned off the holographic images and the tablet they were projected from. "But don't worry. We'll find out who did it soon."

"That doesn't sound very promising," Pharah said doubtfully. "Tracer noticed Junkrat was escorted to Combat Training by McCree today, and then you came with Widowmaker right before Criminal Psychology started."

"So you noticed?"

"Does that mean Junkrat and Widowmaker are definite suspects?"

"Why do you wish to know about the case so badly?"

"Because one of my friends was attacked and I want to help her!"

"Shh!" Ana said harshly.

Pharah looked behind her before answering, "Is that too much to ask for?"

"I thought Tracer wasn't your friend," Ana pointed out.

"That's not true," Pharah said as she poured water from the sink faucet into a glass cup. "This incident has made me realize how much I care about her. Sure, she can be meddlesome and annoying. But her heart's in the right place, and her courage is admirable."

"Much like her father."

Pharah took a sip from her cup. "Who was her real father?"

"George Oxton," Ana said, though her eye seemed distant. "He was a fighter pilot of the British Royal Air Force and well acquainted with Doctor Winston, whom the ape is named after. During a test-flight of the experimental plane _Slipstream_ , Tracer managed to sneak onboard without her father's permission. But that wasn't the worst part. An engine failure forced George to crash-land the plane but he died in the explosion and Tracer ended up wandering through time until Doctor Winston found her."

"Was she young?"

"Only a child. Then tragedy struck again with the ape revolt on the Lunar Colony. While Tracer and the ape that became known as Winston survived, the doctor didn't make it."

"And I thought my life was harsh."

"Suffering is a matter of focus, Fareeha. You may choose to let it consume, or not."

"And you're saying Tracer hasn't chosen to suffer?"

"Exactly, which you could benefit from yourself."

"I can't be happy-go-lucky like she is," Pharah said after finishing her glass. "There are people out there who need my help, and it's my duty to protect them."

As Pharah was about to leave the kitchen, Ana stood up and said, "When I was your age, I felt the exact same way until I had you and became a member of Overwatch. I realized that while it's important to live up to your family's expectations and be the righteous Hero, there is also the need to be happy and form lasting bonds with those you care about the most."

In response, Pharah said nothing.

"Just something to think about. If you wish to leave me and join Helix Security, then I won't stop you. You're old enough to decide what's right for yourself, Fareeha, and that's all that matters."

Pharah sighed after a long pause and walked into the shadows beyond the doorway.

To be continued…


	50. Stage 50: Plans and Finals!

**50** **th** **Chapter! Thank you so much for following my fanfic! I didn't intend to take this long to get through Tracer's first semester at Overwatch High, but hopefully the next semesters will go a lot quicker once I'm done with this one!**

Stage 50: Plans and Finals!

"Winston," Ana said as she entered the lab while Hanzo was at archery practice. "Have you run the interrogation footage through Athena's lie-detecting system?"

"I have," Winston replied, rolling his swivel chair to face Ana.

"And?"

"The results were positive, meaning that they both lied."

"On what questions?"

"Primarily the Tracer-related ones, the misplacement of Widowmaker's recon visor and shoes, and whether they had talked prior to the incident or not."

"So what's your deduction?"

"It's clear they don't like Tracer," Winston said as he removed his glasses to rub the sides of his nose. "But that can't be the only reason either of them would try killing her."

"Why is that?"

"Their reasons for disliking Tracer are too petty to carry out an elaborate assassination attempt, and the disconnected cameras indicate that the hacker was involved."

"Or they could've planned it together out of a mutual hatred for Tracer."

"But then why would one try to frame the other? Unless there was something to gain from Tracer's death, it doesn't make sense."

"True, and yet there's the possibility that one of them is an undercover agent for Talon."

Winston nodded after a pause. "If that's the case, then Talon is planning something big and they wanted Tracer out of the way because of her time-traveling abilities."

"How so?"

"According to Genji and Zenyatta, the hacker managed to access Tracer's file before being noticed by Athena. So if the hacker is indeed associated with Talon, then they know what Tracer is capable of and are afraid that she'll interfere with their plans."

"Then we must determine the culprit before another attempt is made on Tracer's life."

"Agreed, and I have a plan to make that happen."

###

The next few weeks were hectic for Tracer as she was preparing for Semester Finals. Pharah and Zarya were equally busy, but they were also making plans for Winter Break.

"Two weeks doesn't seem like enough," Tracer complained.

"I think so," Pharah said. "It gives us time to retain our knowledge from the previous semester to take into the next one."

"And give us homework to do," Zarya responded.

Tracer sighed. "I'm not sure what to do for Winter Break. I know Winston's staying here, but Soldier: 76 wants me to come back to Hollywood with him."

"Why is Winston staying?" Pharah asked.

"He didn't say much," Tracer replied. "But I don't feel like going home, even though someone tried to kill me."

"You could always come with me to Siberia and meet my grandparents," Zarya offered. "Though it'll be extremely cold and isolated."

"Thanks, but I'll pass," Tracer said and turned to Pharah. "What about you?"

"I'm planning to spend time with my relatives in Egypt," Pharah replied. "It's a big family, so I'm not sure if we can put you up."

"I see."

"Sorry."

"It's okay, luv," Tracer assured. "Maybe I'll just head back to Hollywood after all. It'll certainly be safer there than here."

As Tracer was about to leave, Pharah asked, "What about Genji and Zenyatta?"

"They're going back to Nepal and Hanzo's coming with them," Tracer said.

"Do Omnics celebrate holidays?" Zarya wondered.

"I'm not sure," replied Tracer. "I'll have to ask them."

###

" _No, we do not celebrate things like Christmas or Hanukah at the Shambali Temple,_ " Zenyatta told Tracer before Omnic History started. " _But human visitors are allowed to practice them._ "

"So you just observe the holidays?" Tracer said.

Zenyatta nodded. " _Most of our time is spent meditating along with Mondatta, but there are breaks in between where we interact with humans participating in such holidays in order to blend in with society better._ "

"Well, if you want, you're welcome to spend Christmas with me and Soldier: 76 in Hollywood."

" _Could Genji and Hanzo come as well?_ "

"Yeah, and we could all visit Hal-Fred Glitchbot's film studio!"

There was a pause in Zenyatta's soft mechanical sounds and then he said, " _I very much appreciate the offer, but I must return to Nepal. Tekhartha Mondatta is expecting a progress report regarding the experiences Genji and I have had at this school so that he may decide whether we should continue attending or not._ "

"Then what about Hanzo? Why are you taking him along?"

" _He needs time to reconcile with his brother, so bringing him to Nepal seemed like the best idea._ "

"Oh, then I guess that's settled."

" _What is?_ " Zenyatta asked.

Before Tracer could answer, Torbjörn entered the classroom causing her and Zenyatta to become silent along with everyone else.

###

When the week of Semester Finals rolled around, everyone was anxious except for Tracer. She had managed to get a lot of studying done thanks to the Chronal Accelerator and slept well with the assurance that Ana was always on-guard. The Weapons 101 Final took place in the Shooting Range where Soldier: 76 was waiting patiently. Like the Midterm, there was a written final and then a demonstration. Only this time, the students were demonstrating their handcrafted weapons made from materials that Torbjörn's Metal Workshop lent to them.

" _Do all of you have weapons to demonstrate?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

"Yes, sir!" Everyone shouted.

" _Who doesn't?_ "

No one answered.

" _Good,_ " Soldier: 76 nodded. " _Now I'm going to recite everyone's names in alphabetical order. When your name is called, step forward, turn to the class, explain what your weapon is, and then shoot the target behind me. Got that?_ "

Several people nodded their heads.

Satisfied, Soldier: 76 looked down at his electronic clipboard and recited several names. These people stepped forth and explained their weapons, some more adequately than others, before proceeding to demonstrate them. Some were excellent, while others didn't work right.

" _It is important that you test your weapons before using them in combat,_ " Soldier: 76 said with a hint of irritation in his voice. " _Otherwise, you'll get hurt or possibly killed._ "

There was a long period of silence that followed.

To be continued…


	51. Stage 51: Controversy!

Stage 51: Controversy!

Clearing his throat, Soldier: 76 recited, " _Genji!_ "

Upon hearing that, Genji stepped forward.

" _Where is your weapon?_ " Soldier: 76 asked, examining Genji from head-to-toe.

" _Right here,_ " Genji said, and clenched his fist.

Three star-shaped blades popped out between Genji's fingers, which impressed the whole class except for Soldier: 76 who frowned.

" _These are Shuriken, a common weapon used among my ninja ancestors,_ " Genji said. " _I did some modifications to my arms and created hidden compartments to place these Shuriken into._ "

Soldier: 76 said nothing as Genji stepped up to the stand, glared at the target, and threw the Shuriken blades. Every single one hit a vital spot on the target, and then Genji took it a step further by throwing three more Shuriken at the target which hit the same spots. He then turned to Soldier: 76 and bowed respectfully.

In response, Soldier: 76 gave him a slight nod. " _Very impressive, Genji, you may sit back down after collecting your blades._ "

" _Arigatōgozaimashita_ (Thank-You) _,_ " Genji said, and waited for the target to roll up to the stand.

###

After Soldier: 76 had read more names out loud, he finally called Tracer's. Enthusiastically, she walked up and pulled two small guns from the back of her Chronal Accelerator. They were both covered in white metal and contained blue neon orbs.

Soldier: 76 raised an eyebrow. " _What are those supposed to be?_ "

"I like to call them the Pulse Pistols," Tracer explained. "They contain 20 bullets each, fire two rounds per shot, deal minimum to medium damage, have an 11 to 30 Meter falloff range, and take one-second to reload."

Stepping aside, Soldier: 76 watched as Tracer aimed both guns at the target and fired several bullets into it in a rapid-fire succession of blue light. When the first set of rounds were over Tracer twirled the guns around in her hands, causing them to instantly reload. Then she fired a second rapid-fire set of rounds and twirled them a third time to reload again.

While the class gave a round of applause, Soldier: 76 was writing things down on his notepad. " _Good, you may sit back down._ "

Not sure whether to take it as a compliment, Tracer gave Soldier: 76 a confused look before sitting in her spot.

###

For the Omnic History Final, Tracer and Zenyatta did a presentation on the Shambali Temple. While Torbjörn didn't seem too happy, the rest of the class was intrigued. Then for Combat Training, Tracer had to endure Reinhardt's obstacle course which took place in a secret chamber below the gymnasium. It was structured much like the Entrance Exam maze, but with more pitfalls and mechanical dummies posing as Omnics.

"Um, Reinhardt," Tracer said.

"What is it, Tracer?" Reinhardt asked.

"Are the Omnic dummies really necessary?"

"Of course. They're cheaper than regular people and you never know when those God Programs will reactivate again."

"Took the words right outta my mouth, mate," Junkrat intervened. "Except if you replace the word 'God Programs' with 'Omnics.'"

While Tracer glared at Junkrat, Reinhardt scuffed.

###

After passing through Reinhardt's obstacle course, which was strangely easier than the Entrance Exam Maze, Tracer was able to take the rest of the day off to study for the rest of her Finals. These consisted of an English test, a Criminal Psychology group project, and a short paper for Hero Ethics. Fortunately, the group project was with Pharah so they were able to study together.

"I'm having a hard time understanding this assignment," Tracer said out of frustration.

"It's quite simple," Pharah responded. "You have to analyze the crime-related scenario that we've been given, determine the motive of the criminal, and figure out how the crime was committed."

"And that's if I play the role of the Hero?"

"Correct."

"What does the role of the Villain consist of?"

"They have to come up with the motivation for the crime and how they did it."

"So it's basically a guessing game?"

"More or less, but it's the analyzing of the crime that will get you the most points."

"I see. Wonder why Widowmaker didn't bother to join us?"

"She tends to be aloof when it comes to group projects."

"Well, that's a pain."

"Tell me about it." Pharah sighed.

Tracer hesitated and then asked, "Are you still deciding whether to join Helix Security or not?"

Reluctantly, Pharah nodded. "I am getting close to deciding, but I need more time."

"There's no rush, luv."

"Do you call everyone 'luv' regardless of your feelings toward them?"

"Sure, it's supposed to be casual. You think it meant something else?"

"Never mind. Let's just get back to work."

"Okay."

###

"What? Why did you reject my proposal?" Tracer demanded upon hearing Soldier: 76's words.

" _Because it's inappropriate,_ " Soldier: 76 said calmly behind his desk in the small rectangular office he and Tracer were in.

"But you said we could write a paper on anything current or in the past so long as it deals with Heroes of Overwatch and Ethics."

" _That doesn't mean you can write a paper on something like the Swiss Headquarters Explosion last year because it's still being investigated and a very controversial subject right now._ "

"That's why I want to do it. Something like this has never happened to Overwatch before and despite claims that Talon was responsible I think there's more to it than that."

" _You're treading on thin ice, kid. You have no idea what you're talking about._ "

"Says the guy who miraculously survived the explosion, even though everyone thinks you're dead!" Tracer reached inside her shorts pocket and pressed a hidden electronic recorder. "I think you know exactly what happened, but refuse to talk about it because of Gabe!"

Soldier: 76 immediately stood up and slammed his hands on the table. " _Who told you about Gabe?_ "

"Mercy did," Tracer answered coldly.

" _What did she tell you?_ "

"He was one of the founding members of Overwatch, your best friend, and died in the Swiss Headquarters Explosion."

Upon hearing that, Soldier: 76's arms seemed to relax.

"So with that said, can you please let me write my paper? I'll even leave out the stuff about Gabe if that'll make you feel better."

" _Please do, and don't think about digging up any more information about him._ "

"Why's that?"

" _We had...a falling out that day. Things got out of hand, and before I knew it…I was lying in a hospital bed with my face bandaged up._ " As he spoke, Soldier: 76 put a hand against his mask. " _You're free to go._ "

"Okay, Jack," Tracer replied, and walked quickly out of the room.

When Tracer was gone, Soldier: 76 took off his mask and looked at his distorted reflection in the shiny metal desk.

"Why did you do it, Gabe?" Soldier: 76 muttered as his fists instinctively clenched up. "I should've been the one to die, not you."

To be continued…


	52. Stage 52: Incarceration and Innocence!

Stage 52: Incarceration and Innocence!

"This sucks!" Junkrat complained, lying on the floor of a cell block made of glass and white metal. "Why did they arrest us?"

"I do not know," Widowmaker responded from an adjoining block that was across from Junkrat's. "Now please be quiet."

"You can't tell me what to do," Junkrat said as he got up and glared at Widowmaker. "You're stuck in here just as much as I am."

"I'm aware of that," Widowmaker replied calmly. "But you've been complaining non-stop since we got here, and it's getting irritating."

"Well, I can't help but be loud. That's just how Junkers are, sweetheart, so you can either put up with me or shove it!"

Widowmaker scuffed and started doing stretches while Junkrat started examining the walls. The facility they were incarcerated in was the Overwatch High Detention Center, which was typically where students who behaved extremely badly were taken to. They were in a large white room filled with identical cell blocks placed in orderly rows of two that were raised a couple feet above the ground. Between the cells were turret guns that Torbjörn had set up earlier, and all around the room were hidden security cameras. On a small balcony above the cells, Ana was standing rigidly with her Biotic Rifle in hand.

"Still complaining, Winston," Ana whispered to a hidden earpiece. "Nothing interesting has been said yet."

" _Keep watching them,_ " Winston said on the other end. " _It's only been two days. Someone's bound to crack sooner or later._ "

" _But when will that be?_ " another voice interceded. " _This jacket is killing me and my drone isn't too happy either._ "

"Then go ahead and take the rest of the day off, Mei," Ana said. "We'll call you if you're needed."

" _Thanks, Ana,_ " Mei responded on the other end.

When Mei's line disconnected, Winston made an audible _huff_.

###

A week had passed, and neither Junkrat nor Widowmaker had spoken to each other.

"This is getting ridiculous!" Torbjörn said standing inside the foyer of the Detention Center with Winston, Mei, Ana, and Reinhardt. "We can't hold them in there forever!"

" _Agreed,_ " Reinhardt nodded equipped in his full-body armor.

"But what if Winston is right?" Mei said glaring at both Torbjörn and Reinhardt. "If we let them go, we could be letting dangerous criminals loose!"

"And Junkrat is already a criminal," Ana added. "Or have you forgotten why we brought him here?"

"No, I haven't forgotten," Torbjörn responded. "I'm just saying that this plan Winston has come up may not be working."

" _I say we interrogate them again and beat the answers out of them if they refuse to talk!_ " Reinhardt said.

"That won't be necessary, Reinhardt," Ana said. "Because I know how to win them over."

One of Torbjörn's thick eyebrows raised. "How?"

"You'll see," replied Ana.

###

"Oi! Widow!" Junkrat said the following day.

Windowmaker looked in his direction but didn't seem to pay any attention to him.

Irritated, Junkrat started tapping on the glass.

"If you're trying to get my attention, don't bother," Widowmaker replied and turned her back on Junkrat.

"I just wanted to ask you a question."

"Well, whatever it is I won't answer."

Junkrat paused, and then he scratched the bottom of his chin. "That information you gave me…where'd you get it?"

"I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb. That's why we're in here, isn't it? They suspect one of us is the so-called Hacker I've been hearing so much about!"

Widowmaker's shoulders tensed up, but she continued to ignore Junkrat. Meanwhile, in a room that was perpendicular to the balcony, Winston was monitoring the security cameras that were focused on Junkrat and Widowmaker as Ana stood behind him.

"Your plan seems to be working, at least with Junkrat," Winston remarked.

"It's affecting Widowmaker as well, but in a different way," Ana corrected.

"How?" Winston asked.

"By talking to each one individually, I was able to convince them that if they're willing to prove their innocence they'll have the privilege to leave."

"And so far, Junkrat is attempting to put the blame on Widowmaker," Mei said leaning against the metal sliding door that was across from the security cameras.

"While Widowmaker is choosing not to respond at all," added Winston.

"Which makes her the most suspicious so far," Ana said with her arms folded. "But we'll see what happens, now that I've set things in motion."

As she spoke, an audible _thud_ was heard outside.

"What was that?" Mei wondered.

"We have an intruder!" Winston exclaimed, causing Mei and Ana to look at the security footage.

In the hallway outside the security room stood a lone figure who wore all black carrying two large handguns with a hood obscuring their face.

"It's him!" Ana said and picked up her Biotic Rifle. "The man from the Savior Hospital incident!"

"Let me come with you," Mei said holding up her Endothermic Blaster.

"No, you stay here with Winston!" Ana urged and loaded her rifle with darts. "I will deal with him myself."

But as she expected the sliding door to open, it wouldn't budge.

"Strange," Ana noted. "I don't recall locking this door."

Behind her, the monitor showing all the security footage suddenly turned off and was replaced by a pixelated purple skull with triangles around the eyes.

"This has got to be the Hacker's doing!" Winston said and started furiously typing keys on the keyboard. "They've hacked into our network and have turned off the security cameras as well as locked the door."

"So how do we get out of here?" Mei said nervously.

"With force," Ana said and pressed a button on her earpiece. "Torbjörn! Where are you?"

" _I'm in the cell-block area checking on my turrets,_ " Torbjörn said.

"Well, build more! There's an intruder heading your way and he's armed with two small shotguns! Don't let him near the students at any cost!"

" _Leave this to an expert,_ " Torbjörn said assuringly. " _He won't get past my babies!_ "

"Let's hope so," Ana then pressed the button on her earpiece a second time. "Reinhardt! Get in here!"

" _What's the trouble?_ " Reinhardt asked.

As Mei shot icicles from her blaster at the door, Ana said, "An intruder's heading toward the cell-block area and we've been locked inside the security room by the Hacker! We need your hammer to get us out of here!"

" _Not to worry, my fair lady! I'll be there to rescue you in no time!_ "

"Good! I'll look forward to seeing you."

To be continued…


	53. Stage 53: Intruder Alert!

Stage 53: Intruder Alert!

Standing outside the main entrance to the Detention Center, Reinhardt turned around and entered a passcode into a keypad. But when he did, the keypad's screen turned black and a purple pixelated skull appeared.

" _What is the meaning of this?_ " Reinhardt said as he furiously typed the passcode into the keypad several times but the front door wouldn't open. Frustrated, he stopped and pressed the side of his helmet. " _Ana, the front door's not working! It won't budge!_ "

" _The Hacker must have locked it remotely,_ " Ana said on the other end. " _You'll have to enter the Detention Center manually._ "

" _And by 'manually' you mean—_

" _Yes, use the Rocket Hammer to your heart's content!_ "

" _Acknowledged,_ " Reinhardt said and took the large hammer off his back.

Positioning the hammer in front of the door, Reinhardt swung it back and hit it hard. Upon impact, the hammer left a dent in the door but it didn't cave in. Undeterred, Reinhardt hit the door again and this time the door had a gaping hole in it as sparks flew from the door's interior. Then for good measure, Reinhardt swung at the door a third time which caused the door to fall apart completely. Satisfied, Reinhardt stepped into the foyer and charged at the door leading into the main hallway with full force. Immediately, the door caved in leaving the same shattered mess as the entrance.

" _Ahh, I'll feel that in the morning…_ " Reinhardt remarked as he shrugged off the remaining debris before charging down the hallway.

At an intersection he came to the security room door and noticed several icicles sticking out of it.

" _Good work, Mei!_ " Reinhardt said and prepared to swing his hammer. " _But let me show you how it's done! Stand back!_ "

He heard the shuffle of feet and once he was sure they were out of the way, Reinhardt swung his hammer at the security room door. Unlike the entrance door, this one shattered into pieces revealing that the other side of it had been frozen. Mei was standing nearby with her Endothermic Blaster in hand while Ana and Winston were by the monitor which showed the same pixelated purple Reinhardt saw earlier.

" _Is everyone all right?_ " Reinhardt asked.

"We're fine," Ana said stepping forward. "But thanks for the save."

Reinhardt shook his head. " _Don't thank me, put it on my tab._ "

"The intruder must have reached the cell-block area by now," Winston said. "But it's hard to tell with the security cameras turned off."

"Then we must head there," Ana said. "Hopefully Torbjörn's turrets are keeping him busy."

" _Him? You mean the intruder?_ " Reinhardt's head tilted slightly to the side.

"Yes, now let's move!" Ana said urgently. "You lead the way, Reinhardt. I'll follow behind and give you instructions. Winston, find a way to locate the Hacker and have Mei accompany you."

"We're on it!" Winston said, giving Ana a thumbs-up before bounding off toward the entrance with Mei following behind.

" _You just told them that to get them out of here, right?_ " Reinhardt guessed.

"They are still young," Ana said. "Ready for this, Reinhardt?"

" _Bring it on, I live for this!_ " Reinhardt said enthusiastically.

At the end of the hallway, they found Torbjörn's turrets lying scattered on the ground. Concerned, Reinhardt and Ana entered through the sliding door to the balcony. They heard gunfire and metal clicking sounds.

"People always underestimate the engineers!" Torbjörn cried. "You destroyed my beloved turrets, and now you've incurred my wrath!"

" ** _Death comes for all,_** " said a deep distorted voice.

Ana and Reinhardt moved to the edge of the balcony and saw Torbjörn unleashing a volley of bolts with his Rivet Gun at the mysterious figure in black from before who was firing a hail of bullets from his two shotguns.

" _Give me the Nano Boost, Ana,_ " Reinhardt said turning to look back at her. " _I'll take care of him in one blow!_ "

In response, Ana nodded. She loaded a glowing blue dart into her rifle, took a few steps back, and shot the dart into Reinhardt's neck. He suddenly turned bright blue and electrical sparks emanated from his body.

"You're powered up, get in there!" Ana said lowering the rifle.

" _Thank you, my friend!_ " Reinhardt said and leaped down to the cell-block area. He landed on his feet, causing the ground to shatter slightly.

" ** _Give me a break,_** " the mysterious figure said, throwing away his shotguns as two identical ones suddenly appeared in his hands. " ** _Two more have shown up. Get over here now!_** "

As the mysterious figure threw took something out of a hidden pocket and tossed it aside, Reinhardt came charging down the rows of cell-blocks while Torbjörn got out of the way. But just as Reinhardt was about to strike the figure, he dissipated into black smoke which wafted upwards. Meanwhile, the thing that was thrown shot a ray of purple light and a new figure suddenly appeared. It was a young woman who looked to be in her mid teens with black hair tipped in purple dye with part of her head shaved off revealing neon purple wires. Her outfit consisted of a black dress with a purple pink and blue bodysuit underneath, black fingerless gloves revealing pink fake nail-like things on her fingertips, and blue foot shoes.

" _Hola_ (Hello)," the woman said waving to Reinhardt and Torbjörn. " _Qué onda_ (What's up)?"

The smoke appeared on the balcony and reshaped itself into the figure in black. " ** _Take care of those two and get the girl!_** "

"Copy!" said the young woman who suddenly disappeared and reappeared seconds later in front of Widowmaker's cell-block.

Immediately, Torbjörn and Reinhardt approached the young woman from two sides. Calmly, she touched part of the block the cell was on top of, revealing a hidden keypad. Then just as she was about to touch the keypad, Reinhardt came charging at her with his hammer. Instead of moving, the young woman waved her hand out in front of her causing pink wires to emerge from her fingertips. They attached themselves to Reinhardt, causing sparks to fly from his armor as he cried out in pain and found himself kneeling on the floor before collapsing entirely.

"Whoa, that was wicked!" Junkrat said, watching from inside his cell. "You knocked him out in one blow!"

"What did you do to him?" Torbjörn demanded taking a small metal hammer from his back.

"The same thing I'm about to do to you, dwarf," the young woman said turning to face him.

"Ooh, nice insult!" Junkrat cheered. "I like the way you think, luv."

"Thanks," Sombra said without looking at Junkrat.

"I'm not a dwarf!" Torbjörn shouted angrily, gripping the hammer in his hands. "You're going to regret saying that!"

As the pink wires flew, Torbjörn dodged them and swung the hammer at the young woman's face. She dodged his swing and took out a small Machine Pistol. Aiming it at Torbjörn, she fired several rounds at him, but his metal claw and armor protected him from the volley of bullets. While this was going on, Ana was backing up trying to shoot sleep darts at the man in black but each one went right through him as he kept turning into black smoke.

"What are you?" Ana said, feeling her back hitting the door behind her.

" ** _Your worst nightmare,_** " the man said and pointed his shotguns at Ana's chest.

To be continued…


	54. Stage 54: Jailbreak!

Stage 54: Jailbreak!

Quickly, Ana got out of the way as the man in black fired several bullets in her direction. She took out a small grenade from her pocket and threw it at the man. He dodged the explosion, and continued firing at Ana. Below, the young woman unleashed the pink wires at Torbjörn while he was shielding himself from her Machine Pistol bullets. They caused his metal claw to break and the exhaust pipes on his back to fall off. Pained by his metal claw, Torbjörn fell on his knees as the young woman turned her attention back to the keypad. Instead of pressing the numbers, she touched the screen which caused it to turn purple as the keys typed themselves revealing a set of numbers that turned green. When this happened, the block sank into the ground and the glass around the cell vanished leaving Widowmaker speechless.

"Hey, that's a nice trick!" Junkrat said tapping on the glass. "Mind doing the same for me, luv?"

Ignoring Junkrat, the young woman threw Widowmaker a small duffle-bag with the school label on it and her sniper-rifle. "Save the thanks for later. We're leaving as soon as Reaper's finished."

"Why did you come for me, Sombra?" Widowmaker said slinging the duffle-bag over her shoulder and checking the sniper-rifle to see if it was loaded. "Didn't you realize they were trying to figure out who the Talon agent was and set this up as a trap?"

"Is that so?" Junkrat interceded.

" _Si_ , but we went in anyway," the young woman, who was apparently named Sombra, said nonchalantly. "The information you know is too valuable to fall into enemy hands, so the higher-ups ordered us to rescue you."

"So you're the Hacker?" Junkrat said pointing to Widowmaker but then at Sombra. "Or you are?"

"Even though I'm the least likely to talk?" Widowmaker said, continuing to ignore Junkrat.

"How am I supposed to know what they're thinking? I just work for them under contract," replied Sombra.

"Is anyone even paying attention to what I'm saying?" Junkrat asked out loud.

Irritated, Widowmaker briefly glared at Sombra before picking up the sniper-rifle and aiming it at Ana who was using her Biotic Rifle to block the man in black's bullets. Before Widowmaker could take the shot, however, the man in black dissipated into smoke and appeared behind Ana. He was about to fire his shotguns again when Winston and Mei suddenly burst through the door.

"Ana! Behind you!" Mei shouted and fired her Endothermic Blaster at the man in black.

Immediately, the man in black dissipated into smoke again which wafted down to where Widowmaker and Sombra were before reconfiguring into the man.

"So much for our planned exit," Sombra remarked looking up at the balcony where Ana was briefly discussing the situation to Winston and Mei.

" ** _I had no idea they would show up,_** " the man said glaring at Sombra. " ** _Is there another way out?_** "

"The only other way is the ventilation system," Sombra said and pointed to a square metal grate above them. "You should have no problem getting up there, Reaper."

"Then what about us?" Widowmaker asked.

"Simple," Sombra replied as Ana loaded her Biotic Rifle and Winston prepared to leap off the balcony with Mei riding on his back. "Use the Grappling Hook to get into the ventilation shaft after Reaper. I'll take care of these _tontos_ (idiots) and catch up."

"Um, guys," Junkrat said, tapping on the glass louder. "Can I come with you?"

" _ **Quiet, rat!**_ " snapped the man in black, whom Sombra referred to as Reaper.

"Jeez, sorry, mate," Junkrat said, backing away from the glass. "Moody much?"

Reaper then dissipated into smoke which drifted up toward the ventilation shaft Sombra pointed to. Once the smoke was through the metal grating on the shaft, Widowmaker aimed the Grappling Hook up at it. Once the hook attached itself firmly, she made her way up while avoiding darts fired by Ana. Winston and Mei then leaped off the balcony and landed in the same dented spot Reinhardt landed. Spotting the two, Sombra vanished.

"Hey! Where did she go?" Mei demanded as she got off Winston's back.

"I don't know, but stay sharp," Winston said, sniffing the air as he walked forward.

While the two split up, Sombra reappeared behind an empty cell-block further down. Nearby was the device with the purple light she used to transport into the room earlier, but it wasn't within arms reach. Reloading her Machine Pistol, Sombra quickly ran toward the device and grabbed it just as Winston spotted her. Using his Jump Pack, Winston leaped into the air toward Sombra as she in turn threw the device toward the balcony. Once it landed there, Sombra vanished in a ray of purple light and reappeared on the balcony where Ana was still firing at Widowmaker who was desperately trying to pry open the ventilation shaft.

"Pardon me," Sombra said and shot the pink wires from her hands toward Ana. "But you're shooting at my colleague."

Startled, Ana was ensnared by the wires which caused her to suddenly convulse and collapse onto the floor of the balcony. After a light chuckle, Sombra walked to the edge of the balcony and fired the Machine Pistol at the ventilation shaft which startled Widowmaker and caused her to duck. Once Sombra was done the bolts that kept the ventilation shaft came loose.

"You might want to hurry up, spider girl, or you'll fall to your death," Sombra shouted to Widowmaker.

In turn, Widowmaker sighed and quickly ran up the wire till she was inside the ventilation shaft. Once she was gone, Sombra walked toward the balcony door while Winston used his Jump Pack to get back up to the balcony with Mei in tow. But by the time they got back up to the balcony, Sombra had already left. They attempted to get through the door, but found it to be locked.

"Drat! Not again!" Winston said, trying to pry it open with his bare hands.

"Why didn't you bring the Tesla Cannon?" Mei asked.

"Because I didn't think I would need it," Winston responded irritably. "And without Reinhardt, it's going to be difficult to open this door."

"Not necessarily," Mei said and held up her Endothermic Blaster. "I'll just puncture the door with enough icicles so you could tear it open."

"Good idea," Winston said approvingly.

Mei then fired several icicle-shaped projectiles from her Endothermic Blaster which left several gaping holes in the door. Once he thought there were enough, Winston tried to tear open the door with his bare hands. To his surprise, it worked. With a large hole in the door, Winston and Mei charged out only to find that Sombra was nowhere to be seen. They ran further down the hallway into the foyer and noticed a large hole where the front door was.

"Reinhardt must have made that earlier, when the front door wasn't working," Winston noted. "And I bet that's where the girl went."

The sound of a whirring engine suddenly got their attention, causing them both to exit the building. Outside a large black helicopter marked with a giant T-shaped symbol was hovering just above the Detention Center to allow Reaper, Widowmaker and Sombra onboard.

"How did she get up there?" Mei said, pointing to Sombra.

"She must have used the same device she threw earlier," Winston noted. "It's probably a miniature transporter of some kind."

"They're too far away for my icicles!" Mei groaned. "Blast! We let them get away!"

"Unfortunately, yes, but now we know that Widowmaker was working for Talon as well as the guy Ana was talking about who kidnapped Scourge. Plus I'm fairly certain that other girl, whom Ana heard Widowmaker call 'Sombra,' is the Hacker we've been looking for based on the abilities she demonstrated."

"You're probably right," Mei said as they watched the black helicopter leave. "What should we tell Soldier: 76?"

"We'll wait on that," Winston responded. "First, we need to get Mercy and see if she can heal our fellow teachers who look like they're in bad shape."

To be continued…


	55. Stage 55: Communication!

Stage 55: Communication!

" _What do you mean Operation Mousetrap didn't work?_ " Soldier: 76 demanded after receiving a call from Winston. " _You said we would be able to figure out the identity of the Hacker or Talon Agent and capture whoever they were working for!_ "

" _They were more powerful than we anticipated,_ " Winston said on the other line. " _But we did find out which student was the Talon Agent and the identity of the Hacker._ "

Soldier: 76 groaned. " _But that doesn't matter anymore! They got away and it's your fault!_ "

There was an awkward pause on the other end.

" _I didn't mean it like that, Winston,_ " Soldier: 76 said.

" _No, you're right. It is my fault,_ " Winston replied. " _I should've guessed Widowmaker was the Talon agent all along, after she was kidnapped by them her Freshman year. It wouldn't surprise me if she was responsible for Gérard's death._ "

" _He died in his sleep due to poison, right?_ "

" _Yes, and we believed it was administered through some kind of gas. It occurred to me awhile back that Widowmaker's Venom Mines emitted a similar kind of poison, but I didn't connect it to the way_ _Gérard died_ _._ "

" _There's no point in beating yourself about it now. We need to press forward and take better precautions now that we know what we're dealing with. How many Talon agents were there?_ "

" _Only two showed up to rescue Widowmaker. One of them was the guy who kidnapped Scourge, and the other was a young woman who was somehow able to release Widowmaker out of her cell-block and take down Reinhardt, Ana, and Torbjörn._ "

One of Soldier: 76's eyebrows raised. " _That's impossible!_ "

" _Mercy reacted the same way once Mei and I told her._ "

" _Was she able to heal them?_ "

" _Yes, but she was extremely baffled by how they were defeated. It seems the girl, who Widowmaker called 'Sombra,' used some kind of device that caused Reinhardt's armor to malfunction, Torbjörn's claw to break, and Ana's body armor to tighten which caused her to pass out. I have a theory about this device, based on Junkrat's account. He described Sombra having fake nails, which seemed to emit pink lights shaped like wires that ensnared each of the teachers and caused them to become briefly hindered by their own technology._ "

" _That sounds like the work of an expert hacker._ "

" _Exactly, which means Widowmaker was taking orders from Sombra who was working for Talon along with the guy whom Sombra called 'Reaper.'_ "

" _Reaper?_ " Soldier: 76 paused and then said, " _So how does Junkrat fit into this?_ "

" _He was set up by Widowmaker to take the blame for her._ "

" _I see, and have you tried searching for any information on Sombra or Reaper?_ "

" _I've tried, but found nothing on either of them. All we know is that they both work for Talon which was confirmed when they left with Widowmaker in a helicopter that had Talon's symbol on the side._ "

" _Did you try stopping the helicopter?_ "

" _They were too far away for either Mei or I to follow._ "

" _Well, keep trying to find out anything you can on Sombra and Reaper. Then once the others are fully recovered, I want them to resume the search for Scourge. If he's now working with Talon, that could spell disaster for the entire city of Numbani!_ "

" _Right away, sir!_ "

Then with that, Soldier: 76 hung up. He heard the shuffling of feet and turned toward the stairs next to the kitchen. There was nothing there, so he went back to brewing his coffee. It was Christmas Day and neither he or Tracer had barely spoken since they got back to Hollywood. Whenever he had the chance to talk to Tracer, she always found an excuse to either go to the movies or train in the park Winston took her to. But today, Tracer was home.

Once the coffee was brewed, Soldier: 76 filled a cup and walked up the stairs to Tracer's bedroom. He knocked on the door politely, but heard no response.

" _Lena,_ " Soldier: 76 said after a pause.

"Yes, Jack?" Tracer replied, opening the door. She was wearing a red sweater with white trimming, matching sweatpants, green socks, and a Santa hat that barely covered her spiky hair.

" _I was wondering when you wanted to exchange presents,_ " Soldier: 76 said after clearing his throat. " _It's almost noon._ "

"We could do that now," Tracer said exiting her room. "I was just changing into my traditional Christmas gear."

Not sure whether to believe her, Soldier: 76 decided to say nothing as he followed Tracer down the stairs. They walked past the kitchen into a small circular living-room where a small Christmas tree stood with a handful of gifts below it. While Soldier: 76 took a seat on the couch, Tracer kneeled before the tree and started examining the presents. She took the ones that were hers, and placed the ones for Winston next to her. Then after that, Tracer gave Soldier: 76 her present and the two proceeded to unwrap their gifts.

###

" _I'm not sure what to say,_ " Soldier: 76 remarked as he came back into the living-room wearing a dark blue T-shirt Tracer gave him which contained the words 'Top Dad' written in the same style as the _Top Gun_ movie logo.

"It fits you perfectly!" Tracer exclaimed gleefully. "I'm so happy!"

" _Where did you get this?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

"At a little shop near the movie theatre," Tracer answered. "Speaking of which, I was wondering if you would like to go see _Hero of My Storm_ with me. It's an American-South Korean production starring Robert Greenways, Thespion 4.0, whose grandfather Thespion 2.0 starred in _They Came From Beyond The Moon_ , and Hana Song who looks strangely like D. Va."

" _Who's D. Va?_ " Soldier: 76 said, though he seemed to be troubled.

"She's the one I told you about who complained all the time in Combat Training and refused to let me sit with her just because I didn't know a lot about video games. Of course you know everyone in the school, being the principal and all, so I'm not sure why you asked."

" _I don't always keep track of everyone,_ " replied Soldier: 76. He scratched the back of his head and said, " _The truth is…I've got a lot of work to do, so why don't you go see_ Hero of My Storm _yourself. I'll pay for the ticket if you want._ "

"That's fine," Tracer said getting up. "I understand."

Then before Soldier: 76 could respond, Tracer Blinked out the door before he could say anything further. He looked down at the T-shirt, and sighed.

" _I'm no Hero, let alone a good father,_ " Soldier: 76 muttered.

To be continued…


	56. Stage 56: Secrets and Conclusions!

Stage 56: Secrets and Conclusions!

" _Lena,_ " Soldier: 76 said as Tracer returned from the movie theatre. " _We need to talk._ "

"About what?" Tracer asked.

" _Your enrollment for next semester,_ " replied Soldier: 76.

"What's wrong with it?"

" _I'm considering the possibility of having you drop out and enroll next year._ "

"Just because my life was threatened? Aren't I going to have to deal with stuff like that once I become a Hero anyway?"

" _But you're not a Hero yet, and I can't risk possibly losing you._ "

"And yet Winston doesn't get punished for putting himself in danger."

" _That's because he has experience, and you don't._ "

"So you're saying that I can't be a Hero because I don't have experience? Doesn't that go against Overwatch High's goal: to educate those who want to become Heroes?"

" _This is different. Someone wanted you dead, and if it hadn't been for the Chronal Accelerator you would be. Now in order to find out who did it and capture them, I had you stay with me for protection. But unfortunately, the would-be assassin and her colleagues got away._ "

"'Her'? Then it was Widowmaker who tried to kill me?"

Reluctantly, Soldier: 76 nodded. " _Yes, because she was ordered to by Talon._ "

"Talon? The international terrorist organization?" Tracer gasped to catch her breath. "Why would they try to kill _me_?"

" _Winston believes they saw your powers as a threat to whatever it is they're planning. So they told Widowmaker to assassinate you, but when her plan failed she tried to put the blame on Junkrat. But since the two of them came off as equally suspicious during the interrogations, Winston decided to use Widowmaker and Junkrat as bait to lure out whoever was pulling the strings. Unfortunately, the agents that were sent proved to be too much and managed to retrieve Widowmaker from our hands._ "

"Then that means Junkrat was innocent."

" _In this case, yes, but there were crimes he committed before being sent to Overwatch High._ "

"Like what?"

" _Mainly arson, robbery, and attacking several Omnic settlements that were left intact after the Omnium Core explosion in Australia. The authorities didn't know what to do with him since he was a minor, so they sent Junkrat and his accomplice Roadhog to us. We made a deal to not send them to jail if they agreed to attend school in Junkrat's case and work for us which was what Roadhog did._ "

"No wonder he's always causing trouble. He doesn't like Overwatch, but knows that he'll go to prison if he tries leaving or causes too much mischief."

" _And it was for that reason he described what happened during Widowmaker's escape from the Detention Center as he was right in the center of things. Now given that Scourge is still missing as well, there's something big that's going to happen and I don't want you getting caught in the middle of it._ "

"If you're going to treat me that way, you might as well send everyone at Overwatch High away from Numbani."

" _I've considered that option, but our school's reputation must be maintained and I can only afford to send one person home which would be you._ "

"Wouldn't that be suspicious? And besides, if Talon knows about my powers then it won't take long for them to find out where I live. So actually, it would be better for me to keep attending Overwatch High in the long-run because it's arguably safer there than here."

" _Even though they tried to kill you at the school?_ "

"That was only because they had a sleeper agent posing as a student. With her gone, I doubt they'll try the same thing again."

" _You may be right, but that doesn't mean we should underestimate Talon. They've proven to be a lot more powerful than we thought, and I'm not taking any chances._ "

"We're just going in a circle, Jack! Clearly, you don't want me to attend Overwatch High anymore. I get it, but stop treating me like a child! I'm willing to risk my life to be a Hero, because that's the path I've chosen to take! If you're not willing to accept that, then I don't deserve to be your adopted daughter!"

As Tracer Blinked upstairs, Soldier: 76 followed after her. By the time he got up the stairs, Tracer had already closed the door to her room. Cautiously, Soldier: 76 tried to turn the knob only to find it locked.

"Go away!" Tracer shouted.

Soldier: 76 let go of the door-knob. " _I know you are upset with me right now, but think about what I've said carefully. If you're still determined to go back this spring, I might reconsider having you drop out._ "

"Is there a catch?"

" _Only one thing: if there's something that's troubling you, don't hesitate to talk to me._ "

There was a pause, and then a deep sigh. "All right, but in return I want you to not keep secrets from me ever again."

" _Such as?_ "

"Gabe and Hana."

" _What about them?_ "

"How did Gabe die and why is he never mentioned by anyone? And who was Hana to you? A secret daughter or another orphan?"

" _Who told you about Hana? Was it Mercy?_ "

"Actually, it was Pharah who mentioned her."

" _Did she explain anything?_ "

"No, just told me her name. But then when I saw _Hero of My Storm_ I realized Hana Song, the main actress in that movie, was D. Va based on how she looked and acted. They're the same person, aren't they?"

After some hesitation, Soldier: 76 said, " _I'm not allowed to speak about the real identities of students outside of school._ "

"You can trust me, Jack. I won't say anything."

" _Promise?_ "

"Promise."

Then just as Soldier: 76 was about to speak, his cellphone started ringing. He looked at the caller ID, saw that it was Ana, and said to Tracer. " _Sorry, but I need to take this call. We'll talk later._ "

Tracer grumbled. "Fine."

Leaving Tracer's door, Soldier: 76 picked up the phone. " _Hello?_ "

" _Jack, it's Ana,_ " said a deep female voice on the other end.

" _How are you feeling?_ "

" _I've experienced worse._ "

" _I heard what happened from Winston, and was going to call later._ "

" _I'm fine, Jack, though my pride is hurt more than anything._ "

" _Because you failed to catch the criminals?_ "

" _No, it was who they took. I had a strong suspicion Widowmaker was the undercover Talon agent, but she was one of my best students so I foolishly hoped otherwise._ "

" _For Talon to brainwash someone that young…it sickens me._ "

" _But it's not impossible. You noticed she had changed a great deal after we brought her back from Talon's clutches. Before, she was very cheerful and naive like Tracer is now. But then afterward, she lacked the ability to express any emotions which concerned Gérard though I thought it was just post-traumatic stress from being captured by Talon. If she was the one who took my eye—_

" _Let's not jump to conclusions. Winston already suspects she killed Gérard because her Venom Mines excrete a similar poison to the kind he died from._ "

" _Though it does make sense, now that we know she was working for Talon. He was always evading assassination attempts from them, so they had no choice but to kidnap his girlfriend and turn her into a sleeper agent. Then to test their new product, Talon ordered her to kill me. When I was scoping out where the hostages were, I remember seeing red lights before the sniper's bullet shot my eye out. When I was fighting the masked man known as Reaper, I saw Widowmaker pointing her sniper-rifle at me wearing that recon visor with the red lights and it reminded me of that incident._ "

" _There are a lot of things we don't know about Talon, and this botched attempt at capturing their operatives proves that. We need to collect as much information as we can, and use it to deal with them in the future._ "

" _You sound confident, but there's something that's bothering you._ "

" _It's nothing, Ana. How are the others doing?_ "

" _Torbjörn's metal arm is being repaired at the moment, but Reinhardt is paralyzed from the electricity that flowed through his body when the armor malfunctioned. Mercy did her best to heal him, but he needs time to recover._ "

" _Will he be well enough to teach this coming semester?_ "

" _Probably, but we'll see._ "

" _Well, keep in touch and I'll see you in January._ "

" _Same!_ "

After hanging up the phone, Soldier: 76 went into the bathroom and removed his mask. What stared back at him was a scar-ridden face with dark brown eyes, a chiseled nose, and a firm mouth. Instinctively, Soldier: 76 touched the scar that ran from his forehead to his cheek.

"Reaper…that was the name you were going to use as your Call Sign, Gabe, before going with 'Ghost,'" Soldier: 76 said to himself. "Whoever's behind this has a sick sense of humor, and I'm going to find out who they are. Brainwashing kids, taking well-known criminals…you're going down, Talon, and I will fight until every single one of you is dead!"

Unable to look at himself any further, Soldier: 76 put the mask back on and made his way to Tracer's room. He found the door unlocked, and opened it. Tracer was lying on her bed with the covers pulled over her head. Gently, Soldier: 76 pulled back the covers and found her in a huddled form with tear-stained eyes.

" _Hey, um, you doing okay?_ " Soldier: 76 asked. " _Sorry I had to cut off our conversation._ "

"You don't need to apologize," Tracer said, wiping the tears away. "Ana's one of your closest colleagues, and given what's happened I understand why you need to talk to her."

" _So you overheard my conversation with Winston?_ "

Tracer nodded. "Yeah, I didn't want to say anything in case you got mad."

" _I'm not mad,_ " Soldier: 76 reassured. " _I just…don't want to lose you._ "

"Like Hana?"

Soldier: 76's hand clenched, but he released it. " _That's…what I came here to tell you about. Now, whatever's said in this room_ stays _in this room. Got it?_ "

Eagerly, Tracer nodded.

To be continued…


	57. Stage 57: The Promise!

Stage 57: The Promise!

" _Okay._ " Soldier: 76 took a deep breath and said, " _Towards the end of the Omnic Crisis, I was stationed in South Korea. We were fighting off Omnics that had been activated by the God Program Yeomra*, and taking refugees to an underground safe house. Among them a pregnant woman named Min Song was going into labor who had gotten separated from her husband during the evacuation. While this was going on, Ana and Gabe searched for her husband but he had gotten run over by a Bastion Omnic. When they told me this, I didn't have the guts to tell her. So I pretended he was there, which she believed due to running a high fever. Eventually, she gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Hana which means 'one' in Korean. Then she told me to give Hana to her husband and died shortly after._

" _With no way to know who her remaining relatives were due to the Omnics' interference, I decided to raise Hana Song myself. Everyone was onboard with it except for Gabe, who didn't like the idea of having another child in our company after Ana decided to bring Fareeha with her. By the time she was five, however, Hana was an excepted member of the Overwatch family. Yet with the Omnic Crisis over, we were able to find out that Hana had grandparents who had been informed of their daughter's death and worried the baby died with her. Gabe encouraged me to give Hana to them, but I had grown so attached that I wasn't willing to give her up. But with enough persuasion, I gave Hana up and naturally she wasn't too happy. After that, I never heard from her and then when she enrolled at Overwatch High under the Call Sign 'D. Va' I was shocked._ "

"Have you tried talking to her?" Tracer asked.

Soldier: 76 shook his head. " _No, I'm not sure what she'll say to me._ "

"You never know till you two talk."

" _I imagine she still hates me._ "

"Nonsense! Sure, I hate you sometimes but I still love you."

" _Really?_ "

"Yeah, because if it hadn't been for you…Winston and I would've been all alone in the world."

Then without saying anything more, Tracer and Soldier: 76 embraced each other.

###

As the New Year passed and the Spring Semester began, Soldier: 76 agreed to let Tracer finish her freshman year at Overwatch High in exchange that she communicate with him more often especially at the first sign of trouble. Tracer accepted this under the condition that Soldier: 76 didn't keep secrets from her, which he reluctantly accepted.

"So what's the deal with Gabe?" Tracer asked Soldier: 76 one day after class in his office. "Is there something he did that you didn't want me to find out when I was doing my paper about the Swiss Headquarters Explosion?"

Soldier: 76 sighed. " _This isn't a good time to discuss that. I've got a lot of grading to do, and I'm at least a day behind._ "

Tracer examined his desk, but found no papers. "That's a load of crap. You just don't want to talk about it."

" _It's a sensitive subject for me right now._ "

"Even though you said—

" _I know what I promised, but this is too personal for me to talk about openly._ "

"Fine, then tell me when you're ready to."

Then with that, Tracer left Soldier: 76's office. Outside, Pharah was waiting for her.

"How did your discussion go?" Pharah said as Tracer stormed past her.

"Not good," Tracer replied angrily. "He's still withholding things he doesn't want to tell me."

"Maybe he has a good reason to," Pharah suggested.

"What do you know about Gabe?" Tracer said looking at Pharah.

"I don't know about anyone named Gabe, but there was this one teacher we had who died in the Swiss Headquarters Explosion," Pharah answered reluctantly. "He was the representative of the Offense Class before Soldier: 76 took over, and went by the Call Sign 'Ghost.'"

"That's got to be Gabe," Tracer said to herself, though Pharah heard her. "He's the brooding guy in that picture Mercy has in her office, right?"

"Yes," Pharah nodded. "I never liked him personally. He was always grumpy, and not considerate of others' feelings."

"Did he and Soldier: 76 get along?"

"No, they clearly disliked each other but I'm not sure why."

"According to Mercy, it was because Gabe was mad at Jack for taking all the credit Overwatch accomplished over the years."

"Are you sure we should be discussing this out loud?" Pharah interrupted looking down the hallway cautiously. "Someone could overhear us."

"Relax, Pharah," Tracer said assuringly. "Soldier: 76 assured us that Widowmaker is the only undercover agent for Talon so far."

"But just in case there are others, let's wait till we're back in our dormitory to continue our conversation further."

"All right."

###

Later after dinner, Tracer went into Pharah's room and found her looking at a photograph.

"Oh, hi," Pharah said trying to hide the photograph. "I didn't hear you come in."

"What're you looking at?" Tracer asked eying the photograph curiously.

"Nothing," Pharah responded nervously.

"Can I see it?"

"No."

"Come on, Pharah! We're friends, aren't we?"

"Yes, but—

"Then what's the big deal?"

Before Pharah could protest, Tracer snatched the photograph from her hand. To Tracer's surprise, it showed Pharah when she was younger holding a small baby that had brunette hair and wore a onesie that was blue with pink bunnies. At the bottom of the photograph was some writing that said, 'Fareeha and Hana'.

"Tracer, I can explain," Pharah said guiltily.

"If you knew about Hana this whole time, then why were you so cryptic about it?" Tracer said, glaring at Pharah.

"After she was taken from him, Soldier: 76 ordered everyone in the Overwatch team including me to not speak of her to anyone outside the group out of fear that people like Talon would find out and blow his cover."

"But I'm his adopted daughter!" Tracer snapped crumbling the photograph in her hand. "I shouldn't be kept in the dark about these things! Does Winston know?"

"As far as I know, he doesn't."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't be surprised if Soldier: 76 told him anyway because he seems to trust Winston more than me."

"Well, maybe if you weren't so nosy and inconsiderate of other people's privacy—

"Can you keep noise down?" Zarya said, appearing behind Tracer. "I'm trying to study."

There was an awkward pause and Tracer left Pharah's room in a huff.

To be continued…

*Yeomra is the King of the Underworld according to Korean Mythology


	58. Stage 58: Reunion!

Stage 58: Reunion!

"And then she stormed out on me," Pharah said after explaining what happened the previous night to Mercy. "Should I have told Tracer about Hana earlier, when I mentioned her by accident that one time?"

"There's nothing you can do to change the past," Mercy replied as she was taking down notes.

Pharah sighed. "But now I feel like I've jeopardized my friendship with Tracer, and I don't know what to do."

"Apologize and make up," Mercy said as her pen stopped moving on the notepad. "That's what I recommend."

"Will she forgive me then?" Pharah asked.

"You won't know until you try it."

After some thought, Pharah nodded. "Okay, I will."

Mercy smiled in approval. "Have you decided whether to join Helix Security or not?"

"I'm still thinking about it, but what I might do as a compromise is take a summer course with them to get a sense of the program and then decide by my junior year whether to graduate early or finish Overwatch High altogether before joining."

"So you're planning to become a part of Helix Security regardless?"

"Yes, because it offers a lot more benefits than the Egyptian Military does and I won't have to interact with my mother very much."

Mercy's eyebrows raised slightly. "Is that still an issue?"

"Not as much as before, but I want to make it as a Hero on my own without her supervision."

"I see."

"That's not a bad thing, is it?"

"No, though I would talk to her about these feelings you have."

"I did, and the only thing she said to me was to decide for myself."

"Then do that, and let me know before the Spring Semester ends."

"Understood!"

###

That night, Pharah took a deep breath and knocked on Tracer's room.

"Who is it?" Tracer asked.

"It's Pharah."

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to say sorry, for not telling you about Hana sooner."

"It's okay," Tracer said, trying to sound cheerful. "You wanted to honor Soldier: 76's agreement, and so you said nothing."

Pharah's hand clenched. "Even so, I shouldn't have kept that information from you."

"True, but Soldier: 76 told me everything this past break. Therefore, I had no reason to react the way I did last night." The door slid open and Tracer stood there in her pajama shorts and T-shirt looking down at her sock-covered feet. "Can you forgive me for that?"

In response, Pharah picked up Tracer's hands and put them in hers. "We're friends, Tracer, so of course I will."

Hearing that, Tracer looked up at Pharah. "Really?"

Instead of speaking, Pharah let go of Tracer's hands and hugged her. Surprised by this, Tracer instinctively hugged Pharah back.

"I see you two made up," Zarya noticed as she came into the dorm eating a bag of potato chips. "That is good."

"Yeah," Tracer said backing from Pharah slightly.

"Agreed," Pharah added.

###

" _Are you sure this'll work?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

"Course I am!" Tracer insisted. "Just call D. Va to your office, tell her the truth, and apologize."

" _I don't think it will be that simple,_ " Soldier: 76 said doubtfully. " _It's been nine years since we spoke, and it wouldn't surprise me if she's forgotten._ "

"No way! I still remember when you found me and Winston. Therefore, she probably still remembers you."

" _But even if she did, she's bound to hate me for what I did._ "

"You don't know that for certain! She could be dying to reconnect after all this time."

Soldier: 76 looked down at a picture of Hana/D. Va as a little girl and sighed. " _Let's hope you're right for my sake as well as hers._ "

"If reconnecting Pharah and her mum has taught me anything, it's that you must talk with the person and then keep talking to them until things are sorted out."

" _So you're planning for us to have a series of discussions?_ "

"Pretty much."

" _What does Mercy have to say on the matter?_ "

"She thinks my plan should work so long as both parties are mutual."

" _Then shouldn't you ask D. Va to come here instead?_ "

"That would look more suspicious than having you call D. Va to your office."

" _Good point, but I need a good excuse to have her come here._ "

"Say you want to talk to her, and she'll buy it."

" _Why?_ "

"Right now, she's struggling to make up for her mediocre grades from last semester and so a call from the Principal is sure to get her attention."

" _Yet I would be abusing my power as the Principal of this school._ "

"Look, do you want to talk to your previous adopted daughter or not?"

" _Yes, but—_

"Then stop coming up with excuses and do it. I'll be listening from the closet."

Before Soldier: 76 could protest, Tracer opened a sliding metal door adjacent to the main one with the push of a button. Once inside, Tracer hid behind a row of jackets that were similar to the one Soldier: 76 was wearing now and waited for the glass door to close automatically. When it did, the whole closet was enveloped in darkness and Soldier: 76's voice became muffled.

 _Well, this is bloody brilliant!_ Tracer grumbled. _Guess there's nothing I can do but wait._

###

"You called me?" D. Va said as she entered Soldier: 76's office looking confused. She was wearing a pink T-shirt with a white rabbit-shaped logo, her matching headphones, dark-blue denim short-shorts, and white ankle-length shoes.

" _D. Va,_ " Soldier: 76 responded nervously. " _I'm, uh, glad you showed up._ "

"What's the big idea?" D. Va demanded. "Am I in trouble or something?"

" _Not at all,_ " replied Soldier: 76. " _I just wanted to ask how you're doing_."

D. Va's eyebrow raised slightly. "Isn't that Mercy's job?"

" _Normally yes, but according to her you haven't had a counseling session since enrolling here._ "

In response, D. Va shrugged. "I don't have any problems, so I have no reason to talk to her."

" _Even so, you're still required to meet with the school counselor at least once per Semester._ "

"Since when?"

" _It says that in the school rulebook._ "

"I didn't bother to read it."

" _Why?_ "

"Too boring, not enough pictures."

As D. Va spoke, she took a handheld gaming console out of her jean pocket and turned it on. Soldier: 76 was annoyed, but he didn't say anything.

"I'm still listening," D. Va said after a pause. "There's just this one level I'm stuck on that I want to beat."

" _So you…like video games?_ "

An audible groan escaped D. Va. "Who doesn't? They're the best thing ever!"

" _How long have you been into them?_ "

"Since I was little."

" _At what age?_ "

"Does it matter?"

" _No, I'm just curious._ " Soldier: 76 instinctively started scratching the side of his mask. " _Do your parents approve?_ "

"They're both dead," D. Va answered bluntly. "But my grandparents are okay with it."

Soldier: 76 hesitated for a moment, and then asked, " _When did your parents die?_ "

D. Va briefly looked up from her console. "My mother died when I was born, and my father was killed sometime before that. Someone else took care of me, and then I was taken to my grandparents whom I've lived with since I was five."

" _Do you remember who this other person was?_ "

"Vaguely, though I don't know who they were," D. Va replied as she went back to playing her game. "My grandmother claims I called this person 'Daddy' and was really sad when they left."

" _What if I told you that I was 'Daddy'?_ "

Immediately, D. Va stopped playing. "Then I would call you a creep and leave right now."

As D. Va turned away, Soldier: 76 held up his hand. " _Wait! I'll prove it to you._ "

Using the same hand he held up, Soldier: 76 removed the mask from his face and placed it down on the desk. D. Va looked back and her eyes widened.

To be continued…


	59. Stage 59: Do-Over!

Stage 59: Do-Over!

"Hana, it's me," Soldier: 76 said, spreading his arms out. "Don't you remember?"

For several seconds, D. Va stood frozen in place until her legs suddenly collapsed. Immediately, Soldier: 76 leaped over the desk and caught D. Va mid-fall. Naturally, she was surprised and abruptly slapped Soldier: 76 in the face with her hand.

"What was that for?" Soldier: 76 asked as a red mark appeared on his left cheek.

" _Baegchi_ (idiot)!" D. Va said as tears formed in her eyes. "Why did you pretend to be my father when you really weren't?"

"Because you were just a kid," Soldier: 76 replied.

"Then why didn't you take me to my grandparents sooner?"

"Communications were down when the Omnics were invading South Korea, so I had no way of knowing they were around. Besides, you were really attached to me."

D. Va gritted her teeth as she attempted to punch Soldier: 76 in the chest, but was stopped by his hand. "If that was the case…why did you abandon me?"

"I had no choice," Soldier: 76 said solemnly. "Your grandparents wanted you back, and Overwatch had deactivated South Korea's God Program so we had no further reason to be there."

" _Babo_ (stupid)!" D. Va shouted as she used her other hand to punch Soldier: 76 in the chest. " _Babo! Babo! Babo!_ "

Soldier: 76 grunted with each punch, but endured them long enough as D. Va started crying. Instinctively, Soldier: 76 pulled D. Va closer to him in an embrace while Tracer pushed aside the jackets and opened the closet door. D. Va was startled and looked over her shoulder at Tracer.

"Oh, sorry," Tracer said. "I thought I could—

"Was this your idea?" D. Va snapped, pushing Soldier: 76 aside as she got her footing back.

"Uh, no," Tracer responded anxiously.

"Liar! I can't believe you did this to me!"

Then D. Va stormed out of the office before anyone had the chance to speak.

"Well, that didn't go as I expected," Tracer said and looked down at her Chronal Accelerator. "Maybe I should Recall back to before I got out of the closet."

"Don't bother," Soldier: 76 said as he walked back to his desk and picked up the mask. "You've done enough damage as it is."

"No, I haven't!" Tracer insisted as the Chronal Accelerator lit up.

###

Staying the closet this time, Tracer heard D. Va shout 'Get away from me!' followed by a _grunt_. Knowing what was going to happen, Tracer Blinked out of the closet and blocked D. Va from leaving Soldier: 76's office.

"How did you get in here?" D. Va demanded. "Was this your idea?"

Instead of lying, Tracer said, "It was, but please hear me out."

"No! Leave me alone!" D. Va pushed Tracer aside and left the office.

Frustrated, Tracer Recalled again but she actually tried to stop D. Va from leaving which resulted in D. Va calling MEKA.

###

After Recalling a third time, Tracer waited in the closet without leaving. But when she heard the same _grunt_ along with the metal door opening and closing, Tracer knew nothing had changed.

"You can come out of the closet now," Soldier: 76 said.

"All right," Tracer responded and emerged from the closet.

Soldier: 76 briefly looked away from Tracer to put the mask back on and then he turned back when it was fully equipped. He glanced at Tracer's chest for a moment before making eye-contact with her.

" _What happened to your Chronal Accelerator?_ " Soldier: 76 asked. " _Did you use it too many times or something?_ "

"Yeah," Tracer said glancing down at the dim light. "I tried Recalling to stop D. Va from leaving your office, but nothing seemed to work."

" _Maybe there are some events you can't change,_ " Soldier: 76 said gripping the side of his desk tightly. " _No matter how hard you want them to._ "

"Jack…" Tracer said, stepping closer. "I'm so—

" _You don't need to apologize,_ " Soldier: 76 interrupted. " _This is just the first discussion, so all we have to do is continue them until Hana and I come to terms with each other. That is your ultimate goal, right?_ "

"It was, but now I'm not sure. Maybe I should just mind my own business and not get involved in other people's affairs."

Tracer was about to leave, but Soldier: 76 gripped her hand.

" _Then what about Fareeha and Ana? Or even Genji and Hanzo?_ " Soldier: 76 said sternly. " _If you hadn't gotten involved with them, they wouldn't have found the courage to rekindle their relationships because you gave them hope._ "

"You think so?" Tracer asked, looking straight at Soldier: 76's visor.

In response, Soldier: 76 nodded. " _Yes, I do._ "

###

"How are things going?" Pharah said to Tracer the following day during lunch. "With Soldier: 76 and D. Va, I mean."

"Rough," Tracer said bluntly. "She won't come to his office, so we had Mercy set up a group therapy session but D. Va hasn't agreed to do it yet."

"Well, it's their problem now and not yours."

"But I must do something, since this was my idea to begin with." Tracer looked around and saw D. Va sitting in her usual spot.

Pharah followed Tracer's gaze. "Are you thinking about talking to her?"

Surprised, Tracer looked at Pharah. "How'd you guess?"

"You're an easy person to read, and that's one of your many weaknesses."

Tracer was going to say something in response, but decided to change the subject. "Should I do it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Judging by her frown, she doesn't seem approachable. If anything, it'll make things worse."

"How?"

"Think about it. She was abandoned by Soldier: 76 at a young age. Then a year later, he adopted you and Winston."

"Oh, I see," Tracer realized. "By telling her who I am, it would make her not only hate me but also Soldier: 76."

"Exactly."

"So what should I do?"

"Let things run their course, and don't think about it too much. You've got enough problems as it is with not only Midterms but also the possibility of another attack from Talon."

"Thanks for reminding me," Tracer grumbled as her eyes wandered from D. Va to Symmetra who was sitting by herself.

As Tracer continued watching, a couple of students passed Symmetra's table and muttered something to her that was low but audible enough to be heard as 'Traitor'.

"Why did those guys call Symmetra a traitor?" Tracer wondered.

"You don't know?" Pharah said raising an eyebrow. "There's a rumor going around that Symmetra knew Widowmaker was a Talon agent all along and chose not to say anything about it."

"But that can't be true!"

"They were roommates, so it's possible."

Tracer glanced at Symmetra once more and then back at Pharah. "Has anyone tried asking her the truth?"

"Not as far as I know."

Then the bell rang, forcing Tracer and Pharah to leave the cafeteria. As they left, Tracer glanced back at Symmetra who was also leaving when someone tripped her from behind and made her fall onto the floor. But before Tracer attempted Blinking, Lúcio got to Symmetra first. Upon seeing him, however, Symmetra quickly gathered her things and left.

"Does she bear a grudge against Lúcio or something?" Tracer asked Pharah as the two walked to Criminal Psychology together.

"I'm not sure, but she's never liked him since he enrolled last year," replied Pharah.

"Odd."

"Supposedly, Symmetra transferred from the Nari School of Architecture in Utopaea, India, which was created by the Vishkar Corporation from Hard Light Technology."

"Wow," Tracer said in awe. "That would explain why she was able to make Turrets and Teleporters out of Hard Light. Wasn't there another city like Utopaea somewhere else?"

"Yes, in Rio de Janeiro."

"And that's where Lúcio is from."

To be continued…


	60. Stage 60: Private Matters!

Stage 60: Private Matters!

"Oi, Symmetra!" Tracer said.

"Y-Yes?" Symmetra replied nervously. Instead of her battle gear she was wearing a blue sari with one end draped over her left shoulder, a black dress shirt underneath, and brown clogs.

As the two walked from Criminal Psychology together, Tracer noticed that Symmetra's left hand was covered by a silk black glove.

Ignoring it, Tracer looked between a clock on a nearby wall and Symmetra. "I was, um, wondering if you wanted to hang out with me sometime."

"Why should I?" Symmetra asked. "We barely know each other."

"Well, that's what the point of hanging out is for," Tracer said, and saw McCree strutting down an adjacent hallway.

Turning away, Tracer continued onward when the warning bell started to ring. She glanced back and saw McCree standing in the middle of the hallway. He used two fingers to point at his eyes and then at Tracer's.

"I've got to go," Tracer said to Symmetra and placed a folded piece of paper into Symmetra's right hand. "Call me if you're interested in hanging out."

Then before Symmetra could say anything further, Tracer Blinked to Hero Ethics. She was one of the last people to arrive, while Zenyatta was waiting for her in his usual spot. As soon as she got to her seat, however, Soldier: 76 came in and told everyone to stand.

Once he saw the whole class standing, Soldier: 76 motioned them to sit down. " _Now before we get started, I have a few important announcements to make. As you all have probably heard by now, Reinhardt's been paralyzed due to the injuries he sustained from the Talon attack. Because of this, we gave the students in his classes the first week of Spring Semester off. However, he's still recovering so we're going to have a substitute teacher replace him for the time-being. As for Torbjörn, his metal arm is in working condition once more so the Robotics and Engineering courses will begin again starting next week. Also, we've decided to continue the Payload Competition for one more round as the Mayor plans to escort the real Doomfist Gauntlet to the Numbani Heritage Museum sometime in early May._ "

"Um, question," Tracer said raising her hand.

" _Go ahead,_ " Soldier: 76 responded.

"Who's going to be Reinhardt's substitute?"

" _A woman who goes by the name of Brigitte, and that's all I know about her._ "

"Also, is there a particular reason why the Mayor wants to have the real Doomfist Gauntlet on display? That doesn't seem very safe considering the recent Talon attack."

Soldier: 76 hesitated for a moment and then he said, " _He hasn't made an official statement on the matter yet, but I'm sure there's a good reason for it._ "

Confused by his answer, Tracer was going to question Soldier: 76 further but he immediately started the lesson and subsequent discussions which kept her occupied.

###

"I think Soldier: 76 was lying in regard to your question about the Doomfist Gauntlet," Hanzo abruptly said after Hero Ethics was over.

Surprised, Tracer turned to face him as well as Zenyatta. "What makes you say that?"

"One of the things my father taught me was how to detect when a person was lying," Hanzo responded. "While a truthful person keeps a straight face and doesn't hesitate to speak, a liar will make odd facial movements and usually pause before answering. Now when applied to Soldier: 76's behavior, I noticed that he paused and his eyebrows furrowed slightly."

"Yeah, you're right," Tracer said in agreement. "I'm going to confront him about this."

" _Don't,_ " Zenyatta said shaking his head. " _He probably lied to keep the real reason, which is probably worse, a secret from those who aren't supposed to know._ "

"Even so, we agreed he wouldn't keep secrets from me," Tracer responded and Blinked off to Soldier: 76's office before Hanzo or Zenyatta could stop her.

Outside the door, Tracer found Genji leaning against it.

"Hey, Genji," Tracer said. "You here for something?"

Genji nodded in response. " _I might have to drop out of Weapons 101._ "

"Why?" Tracer asked.

" _According to the syllabus we're supposed to make_ another _weapon for our Final at the end of this semester and I have no ideas._ "

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Tracer assured him. "That Shuriken thing you made last semester was amazing."

" _Hai_ (Yes)," Genji said. "But how can I top that?"

Before Tracer could answer, the door suddenly opened. Fortunately, Genji managed to steady himself as D. Va emerged from the office and stormed over to Tracer.

"Out of the way, cyborg!" D. Va demanded. "I want to speak to Tracer!"

" _For what purpose?_ " Genji asked sternly.

"That's between me and her," D. Va said folding her arms. "Are you her friend or something?"

" _I am,_ " Genji answered.

D. Va made a sharp laugh. "How lame! I heard Tracer was friends with the Omnic, but I didn't know she befriended cyborgs too. Guess she's one of those Robot Lovers I've heard so much about."

Genji's green visor flashed for a brief second as he gripped his right hand, producing the same Shuriken he threw during the Weapons 101 Final. " _You take that back._ "

"Don't do it, Genji!" Tracer said, gripping Genji's right arm. "It's against the school rules to harm another student outside the Payload Competition or Hero Bash, remember?"

"You'd better do what she says, Genji, or I'll tell Soldier: 76," D. Va threatened.

Genji grumbled, and retracted the Shuriken reluctantly. " _Very well. I shall let you two be._ "

As Genji stepped aside and left, D. Va stepped closer to Tracer. "So, I hear you and Winston were adopted."

Surprised, Tracer said, "Who told you this?"

"Soldier: 76," D. Va answered casually. "I met with him just now to discuss some 'private' matters, and what I learned shocked me. Do you know who I am?"

"Yes, actually," Tracer answered after a pause. "You were adopted by Soldier: 76 before Winston and I."

"Then I take it he told you at some point?" D. Va asked.

"It was during this past Winter Break."

"That soon? He never said anything before?"

"Not a peep."

"So were you the one who—

"Persuaded Soldier: 76 to talk to you? Yeah, I did that."

D. Va's eyes blinked rapidly. "For what reason? Don't you hate Soldier: 76 for not telling you anything about me?"

"I was at first, but then I realized you two needed consulting."

"Consulting? I don't need that!"

"Then why did you talk to Soldier: 76?"

"Mind your own business!" D. Va shouted as she stormed past Tracer. "Just because you're Soldier: 76's adopted daughter doesn't mean you can fix other people's problems!"

"But I'm a Hero," Tracer said turning around to face D. Va's retreating figure. "And Heroes are supposed to help others!"

"Give me a break!" D. Va cried back. "You're no Hero, but a nosy Robot Lover who doesn't respect people's privacy!"

Tracer was going to Blink toward D. Va when she felt a strong hand squeeze her shoulder. She turned and saw Soldier: 76 standing behind her.

"Were you listening the whole time?" Tracer said irritably.

" _Of course,_ " Soldier: 76 responded bluntly.

"Did you have to tell her who I was?"

" _She wanted to know how life has been since we last spoke, so I answered._ "

"Is that all?"

" _Also she agreed to do the group therapy session with Mercy._ "

"Good! I plan to attend that with Winston."

Soldier: 76 gave Tracer a confused look. " _Are you sure that's necessary?_ "

"Absolutely, since I'm assuming Winston doesn't know about D. Va yet. It would be a good chance to meet her and if she's possibly planning to live with you again then we might as well be there to discuss how things are going to work with our potential new 'sister.'"

" _You realize that's a long shot, right?_ "

"I know, but I can dream."

To be continued…


	61. Stage 61: Confidentiality!

Stage 61: Confidentiality!

"What!" Winston exclaimed. "D. Va was your _first_ adopted child?"

" _Not officially, but yes,_ " Soldier: 76 responded.

The two of them along with Tracer, Mercy, and D. Va were all sitting in chairs arranged in a circle-shaped formation within Mercy's office.

"This is really weird," D. Va observed and turned to Soldier: 76. "What compelled you to adopt a talking gorilla and a girl who's only a year older than me?"

" _That's…a long story,_ " Soldier: 76 said after a pause.

"You might as well explain it to her," Mercy suggested. "That way, she'll understand."

" _Only if she agrees to not say a word about it outside this room,_ " Soldier: 76 glanced at D. Va as he spoke.

D. Va scuffed. "Of course I won't! Do you not trust me or something?"

" _I didn't say that,_ " Soldier: 76 assured.

"Then why did you make me agree to not say anything?"

Soldier: 76 was going to respond, but then Mercy shook her head at him. So he sighed and told D. Va all about Winston and Tracer's origin stories. When Soldier: 76 finished, there was a long period of silence that followed.

"Wow," D. Va suddenly muttered, turning to Tracer and Winston in turn. "You two went through a lot."

"That would be an understatement," Winston said adjusting his glasses.

"Agreed," Tracer responded.

"So that Chronal Accelerator of yours," D. Va said pointing at Tracer's chest. "How far can it take you?"

"About seven meters backwards and forwards in time," Tracer answered.

"Not as cool as I thought," D. Va said looking disappointed.

"But if I were to remove the Chronal Accelerator, I could move anywhere in time."

"Can you control where you'll end up?"

"No, and that's why I can't take the Chronal Accelerator off."

"I see." D. Va then turned her attention to Winston who was cleaning his glasses. "Are you near-sighted or far-sighted?"

"Neither," Winston said.

"Then why do you wear those glasses?"

"They're a memento from my previous caretaker."

"Oh, right," D. Va realized.

"Now that we have all of this important information out of the way, let us begin the therapy session proper," Mercy said as she took out her notebook. "I want each of you to express your feelings on these revelations and each other."

"Well, I…" Tracer started as she looked at Soldier: 76 who had his arms folded. "…kind of wish Jack had told me about D. Va sooner but given my current circumstances, I understand now."

"In what way?" D. Va asked.

" _Because they were able to hack into our system, Talon learned about Tracer and her powers which seemed to be a threat to them,_ " Soldier: 76 explained. " _That's why Widowmaker tried to assassinate her towards the end of last semester._ "

"OMG," D. Va exclaimed. "Does that mean _I_ could become a target for assassination too?"

"Possibly, but I highly doubt it," Winston said. "They seemed more interested in the students who could thwart their plans."

"Humph!" D. Va frowned. "I guess they don't consider me a threat then."

" _Not at the moment,_ " Soldier: 76 said with a concerned look. " _But if Talon found out your connection to me, that could blow my cover._ "

D. Va raised an eyebrow. "Cover? What do you—

"Let's get back on track, shall we?" Mercy interrupted.

###

By the end of the session, everyone was feeling a little less anxious. They all agreed to not speak of what was discussed, and to continue the sessions for the time being. However, D. Va and Winston weren't happy with the possibility of becoming 'siblings' while Tracer was delighted.

"It would be so nice to have a girl I could connect with at home," Tracer said to D. Va while Winston walked behind. "And you'd be closer to Soldier: 76 that way."

"Yeah, but I don't like the idea of sharing a house with an ape," D. Va said glancing back at Winston. "He smells funny."

"I'll have you know that I'm very clean compared to most primates!" Winston glared at D. Va.

"Sure," D. Va remarked. "And I bet you eat bananas and peanut butter when no one's looking."

"I do not!" Winston protested.

"Guys! Stop fighting!" Tracer said stopping Winston from advancing further. Then she turned to D. Va. "Isn't this what you always wanted? To reconnect with Soldier: 76?"

"Not until you decided to make him talk to me," D. Va said irritably.

"So you were fine thinking Soldier: 76 had abandoned you?"

"I didn't even know who he was," D. Va admitted. "And now I wish I hadn't learned!"

Then as D. Va stormed off, Tracer attempted to Blink but Winston's powerful grip stopped her.

"Am I doing something wrong, Winston?" Tracer wondered out loud. "Should I have just let things be, or is this the right thing to do?"

"Only time will tell," Winston replied. "We can't change the past, even if one of us can travel through time."

"But not far enough," Tracer said as she gritted her teeth. "Is there some way you can improve the Chronal Accelerator?"

"In what way?"

"To where I can go backwards and forwards in time as far as I want."

"I'm not sure. All I have to go on is the memories Doctor Winston inserted into my brain, so I can't say if he knew how to make the Chronal Accelerator do that or not."

"But you can figure that out on your own, right?"

"Maybe, but it'll take me some time."

"There's no hurry, Winston," Tracer said trying to smile. "It's not like I need it right away."

"Let's hope not," Winston said nervously. "You may have survived one assassination attempt by Talon, but they may try again soon."

"All the more reason to improve the Chronal Accelerator, then. Let me know when you have something figured out."

Then before Winston could protest, Tracer Blinked away. Left alone in the empty hallway, Winston walked in the opposite direction when he saw Mei walking towards him. She was wearing a wool jacket with white sleeves and stripes containing various shades of blue. Apart from a dark blue shirt, she also wore black tights and knee-length boots.

"Winston," Mei said looking irritated.

"What is it, Mei?" Winston responded.

"Where have you been?" Mei demanded. "Our Science Club meeting was today!"

"I was busy dealing with family issues."

"Such as?"

"I'd rather not talk about it."

Mei became flustered. "Is it because you don't trust me?"

"No, it's not that."

"So tell me already!"

"I'm not allowed to speak of these matters due to their sensitive nature."

"And who ordered you to keep quiet?"

"Soldier: 76, and Mercy."

"Oh, I see."

After that, the two walked away from each other looking bitter and disappointed.

To be continued…


	62. Stage 62: Improvements and Doubts!

Stage 62: Improvements and Doubts!

In the months that followed, Winston was able to improve Tracer's Chronal Accelerator to where she could remove it for long periods of time and not risk disappearing into the time-stream. However, the limit on how far Tracer could travel was still the same which disappointed her. Also Reinhardt had finally recovered and was able to teach Combat Training once more with the substitute teacher Brigitte helping him.

"It's so nice not having to wear the Accelerator 24/7," Tracer said to Pharah while they and Zarya were preparing to go to bed. "But also very strange since I got used to it."

"I can relate," Zarya responded. "Being from small village in Siberia, it was overwhelming when I started attending this school three years ago. At the same time, I feel safer here than at home."

"Three years ago?" Tracer's eyes widened. "You're a Senior?"

"No, she isn't," Pharah replied. "Her grades were very low last year."

"So I had to start Junior year over," Zarya complained.

"That's rough," Tracer noted. "Have you done better this time?"

Zarya nodded. " _Da_ , thanks to your support."

"How are the group therapy sessions going?" Pharah asked Tracer. "With D. Va, I mean."

Tracer hesitated to answer. "They're going…all right, I suppose. D. Va's usually late, or she doesn't show up at all which frustrates Winston and Soldier: 76. But they don't want to say anything in case D. Va decides to cut off communication altogether. Mercy, on the other hand, has been trying to stay positive about all this but she seems to be troubled by something."

"Well, she is the school's nurse on top of being a counselor," Pharah pointed out. "Maybe this case is wearing her down."

"I don't think so," Tracer said shaking her head. "She's been acting odd since the Savior Hospital incident."

Pharah raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Like she knows something, but doesn't want to say anything."

"What could she possibly know that would make her not want to speak?" Zarya asked.

Before Tracer, Ana entered the apartment forcing her and the girls into silence.

###

"Oi! Winston!" Tracer said, getting the ape's attention. "Did you get your robe?"

"I got it several weeks ago," Winston answered, pointing to a large white gown hanging near the Time Capsule with the Overwatch logo stitched in yellow satin.

"That's fantastic," Tracer said, eyeing the gown. "It's only a matter of days till you graduate. Feel excited yet?"

Winston shrugged and continued typing on his computer.

Tracer gave him a concerned look. "Something bothering you?"

"Talon," Winston answered reluctantly. "Since the attack, there's been no activity from them."

"Maybe they're laying low after getting Widowmaker back."

Upon realizing what she said, Tracer covered her mouth while Winston's shoulders tensed up.

"How do you know about that?"

"When you called Jack — I mean, Soldier: 76 — around Christmas, I was eavesdropping."

"Why?"

"He sounded upset, so I got curious. From what I heard, things didn't go as planned."

"Tell me about it. I had completely underestimated Talon's agents and what they were capable of. As a result, I failed to capture them and allowed their sleeper agent to get away knowing God knows what about Overwatch. But one thing is for certain: retrieving Widowmaker was part of Talon's plan, whether she was caught or not, which means they might be planning to steal the Doomfist Gauntlet again."

"Do you think they'll try stealing it during the Payload Competition?"

"That's what I'm afraid of. But since Soldier: 76 is only allowing upperclassman to participate and Torbjörn is planning to install multiple Turrets along the street, they would have to be pretty reckless to attempt such a feat."

"But if Scourge is with them, then Torbjörn's Turrets and the students won't pose a threat."

"Even so, I don't think they won't try something that obvious."

"Then what will they do?"

"I'm not sure, but the sooner I figure it out the better prepared we'll be."

###

The Payload Competition went as planned, though Tracer wasn't able to participate in it. Instead she sat in the cafeteria watching the whole thing on the TV screens along with Pharah, Genji, and Zenyatta. While the Red Team included Zarya and Hanzo, the Blue Team had Winston and Symmetra on it.

"I'm torn about who to route for," Tracer admitted.

"Who cares! Pick a side already!" Junkrat shouted from another table.

"Quiet, Junk Boy!" D. Va whined. "I'm trying to listen to Lúcio."

Junkrat growled. "Fine, you little Troll."

"What did you call me?" D. Va snapped.

As she got out of her chair, Junkrat did the same. The two were about to fight when Mei stood up and created an ice wall between them.

"That's enough," Mei insisted. "Now sit down and behave yourselves."

After glaring at each other through the ice, Junkrat and D. Va went back to their tables and said nothing afterwards. But once the match was underway, they were cheering on their respective teams like everyone else was.

"Come on, Winston!" Tracer said, watching him get trapped inside the gravity bomb Zarya's gun created. "You can do better than that!"

"That's it, Zarya!" Pharah cheered. "Show that ape what you're made of!"

" _Don't let Symmetra's Photon Projector affect you, Hanzo,_ " Genji said seeing his brother getting zapped by a beam coming out of a gun-shaped device Symmetra was holding. " _Fight back!_ "

" _I'm so glad to see you supporting your brother like this,_ " Zenyatta said, causing Genji to stop cheering for a moment.

" _Only because everyone else is, Master,_ " Genji claimed.

" _As far as I can tell, you're the only one that is actively cheering Hanzo on,_ " Zenyatta said. " _And that's perfectly fine. It shows you have progressed so much since you've tried to settle things with him._ "

" _I suppose,_ " Genji responded as he glanced over at Tracer. " _But I really owe it all to her._ "

" _Indeed,_ " Zenyatta nodded.

###

In the end, the Red Team won two times out of three which made Genji, Pharah, and Junkrat happy but not Tracer, Mei, or D. Va. Zenyatta, on the other hand, was ambivalent and didn't cheer for ether side. There was also no interference from Talon or The Scourge, which relieved everyone except for the teachers.

" _They knew we were ready,_ " Soldier: 76 said watching the Payload Competition participants arrive back on campus. " _That's why none of them attacked._ "

"Even so, it'll be much harder for them to steal the Doomfist Gauntlet now that it is inside the museum for good," Reinhardt responded optimistically.

"I wouldn't be too sure," Ana doubted. "If that hacker of theirs was able to get past our security systems without any difficulty, then the museum's will be no match for her."

"It's too bad the security cameras were disabled," Torbjörn grumbled. "Then we would know what they look like and find them that way."

" _Speaking of which, have you checked the credentials of the new transfer student?_ " Soldier: 76 asked Ana.

"As far as I can tell, they're genuine," Ana said.

" _Then let's hope so,_ " Soldier: 76 replied. " _We wouldn't want to have another Widowmaker to deal with._ "

To be continued…


	63. Stage 63: Fighting Fire with Fire!

Stage 63: Fighting Fire with Fire!

"All right, kiddos!" a tall woman said to the class. She had freckles on her face, bright-blue eyes, and straight brunette hair tied into a ponytail wearing a plain white undershirt, chestnut brown pants, and brown leather boots. "Next week is your Combat Training Spring Semester Final, and after that the Seniors will be graduating in this gymnasium. You're all welcome to attend the ceremony, but it is not required. As for your Final, it'll be the same as the previous one only you'll be allowed to use your weapons this time. So today we'll be reviewing the fighting moves you learned this semester and combine them with the weapons you've brought to class. Am I missing anything, Reinhardt?"

"Not a thing, Brigitte," Reinhardt said, folding his bandaged arms. "I would've spared with each of you myself, but I'm still not fully healed. Therefore, I'll have us do another tournament-style sparring session where you'll be paired against each other and the winner gets to leave class early. Does that sound good?"

"Yeah!" the class cheered.

"Excellent," Reinhardt nodded, picking up an electronic pad. "Starting from the weakest, we'll have D. Va pair off against our recent transfer student Azúcar."

"With pleasure," Azúcar said getting up from the floor. She had mocha-colored skin, white makeup on her face and limbs, with spiky black hair shaped like a mohawk, wearing gray clogs with green workout capris and a matching tank top.

"Ugh, fine," D. Va muttered as she reluctantly stood. "I thought I was doing better."

"Once you two have stepped into the circle, I will raise the shield," Brigitte said fiddling with an electronic pad. "That way, no one will get hurt when you use your weapons against each other."

The two girls nodded and stepped within a circle that was outlined by metal and wires. As they prepared themselves, a blue light shot from several points along the metal circle and created a hemisphere-shaped aura around the girls. While Azúcar took out an automatic machine pistol, D. Va picked up a pink gun with a keychain that had a bunny-shaped logo.

"Aw, isn't that cute," Azúcar said snidely glancing at D. Va's gun. "It reminds me of a popgun I used to play with as a _niñita_ (little girl)."

"It's called a Light Gun," D. Va said cocking the weapon. "This thing blasts light projectiles that move faster than regular bullets. Think you can keep up with me?"

"I'm always up for a challenge," Azúcar responded.

"Begin!" Reinhardt stated.

As soon as D. Va fired her gun, Azúcar disappeared. Confused, D. Va looked around but was caught off-guard when Azúcar reappeared behind her with the machine pistol pointed at her head. Fearing that Azúcar would pull the trigger, D. Va ribbed her in the chest. This caused Azúcar to let go as D. Va turned around and pointed the Light Gun at Azúcar's forehead.

"How's this for a popgun?" D. Va said triumphantly.

"Still not impressive," Azúcar frowned.

Using her machine pistol, Azúcar shot D. Va in the side. Surprised, D. Va was thrown back and lay bleeding on the ground.

"Halt!" Reinhardt said as Brigitte lowered the shield. "Azúcar, I thought I made it clear there were to be _no_ fatal injuries done to anyone in these spars!"

"I only hit her side," Azúcar said, trying to sound surprised. "That's not fatal, is it?"

"Report yourself to McCree's office, _fräulein_ (young lady)!" Reinhardt said. "Brigitte, take D. Va over to Mercy at once!"

"Yes, Reinhardt," Brigitte said, putting down the pad. She picked up D. Va and left the gymnasium with her while Azúcar followed behind them.

After several minutes were spent wiping blood from inside the circle, Reinhardt continued the spars. Eventually, Tracer and Junkrat were the only ones left as Lúcio had lost his match due to being distracted.

"What a wuss," Junkrat murmured out loud. "I'm surprised he's still in this class."

"How can you say that about your roommate?" Tracer snapped. "He's rightfully concerned about D. Va, and that's why he lost."

"Still doesn't excuse his lack of focus," responded Junkrat. "If these were real battles, he'd be pushing up daisies. Now, think you can beat me without that magic chest thing?"

"Sure can!" Tracer said confidently.

When the match started, Junkrat took out his Grenade Launcher and launched several bombs from it. Fortunately, Tracer was able to shoot every single one with her Pulse Pistols. The explosions that followed caused both of them to falter back, though Junkrat recovered quickly and threw a Concussion Mine near Tracer's feet.

"Say goodbye to your legs, luv," Junkrat said with one hand on the detonator.

"Not today!" Tracer said and threw something on top of the Concussion Mine before backing away quickly.

It was a flat metal object attached to his chest that had a 'G' shaped symbol on it.

Junkrat was confused. "What is—

"Wait for it…" Tracer said.

In a few seconds, the metal object exploded on top of the Concussion Mine causing an explosion that knocked Junkrat and Tracer to the floor. The shield vibrated from the shock, but it held.

###

When Tracer came to, she was lying on a white bed.

"Was that a…bomb?" Junkrat asked Tracer from behind a curtain that separated them.

"Yep," Tracer answered. "It's called the Pulse Bomb. Goes off a few seconds after being planted, and sticks to any surface imaginable."

"Sounds like you stole my design."

"Well, you know how the old saying goes: gotta fight fire with fire."

"It's not the same thing!"

"Is too!"

"That's enough," Mercy said approaching the beds. "Are you both hurt?"

"No," Junkrat and Tracer said as they both tried to get up but were unable to.

"Your bodies are suffering from shock," Mercy confirmed. "Allow me to heal you."

With her Caduceus Staff, Mercy gave Tracer and Junkrat enough strength to leave their beds.

"How's D. Va?" Tracer said after thanking Mercy.

"She's fine," Mercy said, nodding to another bed where D. Va was rubbing her side. "The bullet missed her internal organs by a few inches."

"That's good," Tracer responded as she approached D. Va. "Hey, doing all right?"

"Leave me alone," D. Va said in a hostile tone.

Surprised, Tracer said, "I was only expressing my concern. Not sure why you're mad at me."

"I'm mad at myself," D. Va reluctantly said. "I should've disarmed Azúcar when I had the chance to."

"But how were you supposed to know she was going to shoot you?"

"Exactly! If that was a real fight, and Mercy wasn't nearby, I would probably be dead."

"Junkrat said the same thing about Lúcio."

"He did? I'll show him once I'm out of here!"

"I would advise against that," Mercy said firmly. "Personal fights between students are _not_ allowed on campus. It says so in the student handbook."

"She's right," Tracer agreed.

"So what?" D. Va shrugged. "I'm tired of having to put up with that dirty Junk Boy!"

"But fighting him is not the right thing to do," Mercy assured. "Instead, you should talk to Reinhardt or Soldier: 76 about it."

"They can't help me," D. Va insisted. "No one can."

Using one hand, D. Va got off the bed and walked out of Mercy's office without a second glance.

To be continued…


	64. Stage 64: Notes and Songs!

Stage 64: Notes and Songs!

When Tracer got back to her locker near the gym, she opened it and found a note tucked into the Chronal Accelerator. Confused, Tracer, put on the Chronal Accelerator while reading the note:

 _Do not go to the Graduation Ceremony, or I will be forced to kill you._

Instead of a signature, Tracer found an inkblot shaped like a purple skull.

"I've got to show this to Winston," Tracer said, and tucked the note into the pocket of her gym shorts.

###

During lunch, Tracer visited the classroom Winston held his Science Club meetings in. Apart from him and Mei, there was no one else.

"Tracer," Winston said noticing her. "How did you know where to find me?"

"I talked to Mercy," Tracer explained. "She's apparently your club's supervisor."

"That she is," Winston responded adjusting his glasses. "So what brings you here?"

Glancing waywardly at Mei, Tracer took out the folded note and gave it to Winston. "I got this."

Taking it, Winston unfolded the note. As his brow furrowed, Mei stepped a little closer to him.

"Sounds like a death threat," Mei said reading the note over Winston's shoulder. "Who gave this note to you, Tracer?"

"No one," Tracer said reluctantly. "I found it in my locker."

"That doesn't sound right," Winston muttered. "Those lockers are sealed shut with no holes in them. There's no way someone could slip a note into your locker, unless…"

"It was broken into," Mei guessed.

"But how?" Tracer wondered. "There were no signs of forced entry, and it was locked."

Instead of answering, Winston folded the note. He then turned to Tracer and said, "Do you mind if I take it to my dorm for further examination?"

"Not at all," Tracer said.

Satisfied, Winston tucked the note into his shirt pocket and left the classroom.

###

" _You think this note was written by Sombra?_ " Soldier: 76 said sounding mildly surprised. " _What gave you that idea?_ "

"The insignia," Winston replied, pointing to it. "It appeared on the Detention Center's computer screens, the keypad to Widowmaker's cell, and even on the equipment of everyone who was affected by Sombra's 'Hack' ability."

" _Have you checked the handwriting?_ "

"Athena did, and she matched it with Widowmaker's."

" _Then either Sombra forged the note herself, or Widowmaker wrote it and left the insignia to throw us off._ "

"Both are likely possibilities," Winston speculated. "But regardless of who it is, it's clear that Talon is trying to eliminate Tracer once more."

" _Even so, why the note?_ "

"They probably hope to scare Tracer into letting her guard down before closing in for the kill."

" _I'll have Ana double her efforts on guarding Tracer, then._ "

"Is that all?"

" _It's the least we can do without arousing suspicion. Otherwise Sombra, or whoever this is, will be forced to take more drastic measures which could result in Tracer's death._ "

"I understand, sir."

###

As Finals Week progressed, Tracer started receiving the same note several times a day in her locker. She tried not to focus on it while taking tests and whatnot, but her paranoia rose. Eventually, Tracer started going back to wearing the Chronal Accelerator all the time in case someone tried to kill her. It was also around this time that she noticed Azúcar used every kind of excuse to take long breaks from class, and they always seemed to happen before Tracer discovered another note.

For instance, right before the Combat Training Final started Azúcar asked to go to the bathroom. Reluctantly, Reinhardt allowed her to do so.

"May I go too?" Tracer said raising her hand.

Reinhardt grumbled. "Very well, but be quick."

"Right-O!"

Tracer quickly Blinked into the locker-room and checked. To her surprise, there was no note. She heard footsteps, and saw Azúcar standing near the locker-room entrance.

"Looking for something?" Azúcar said in a mocking tone.

"Uh, no," Tracer responded. "I was just checking my locker."

"Not a bad idea," Azúcar said as she turned and opened her locker. "Maybe I'll do the same."

"Yeah."

While Azúcar wasn't looking, Tracer closed her locker and briefly glanced inside Azúcar's. There was nothing of interest except for a change of clothes and a bluetooth earpiece. But when Azúcar looked back, Tracer had already Blinked away. Back in the gym, Reinhardt took the students down to the underground obstacle course which had more Turrets and Omnic dummies than before.

"I'm sure you all remember the rules, but I'll repeat them for the new arrivals," Reinhardt said looking at Azúcar as he spoke. "There will be no roughhousing, cheating, or accidents. You may use handheld weapons or devices, but nothing else. Any questions?"

Instead of raising her hand, D. Va kept her head lowered.

"Good," Reinhardt nodded. "Brigitte, raise the shield and begin the countdown."

"Right," Brigitte responded, using the same electronic pad to create a dome-shaped energy shield over the maze-like obstacle course and cause numbers to appear over the starting line which started counting down from two minutes.

In that time, the students prepared themselves. Once they were done, they went to the starting line and stood neck-to-neck. The numbers overhead continued to decrease until three zeroes were reached.

"We are out of time," Reinhardt noticed and waved his hand toward the starting line. "Forward!"

Hearing that, the students dashed from the starting line. Tracer Blinked ahead and ran into the first obstacle which was a Turret gun. Using one of the Pulse Pistols Tracer destroyed it and ran past, only to find another Turret gun around the bend.

"This one's mine," Azúcar said as she appeared out of nowhere.

Using her machine pistol, Azúcar was able to demolish the second Turret in a matter of seconds.

"Where'd you come from?" Tracer asked.

"I've been here all the time," Azúcar answered as she ran ahead of Tracer.

Irritated, Tracer Blinked in the direction Azúcar went. But to Tracer's surprise, Azúcar was nowhere to be seen. Confused, Tracer ran further only to feel the floor fall beneath her.

"Let's try that again," Tracer muttered, and Recalled back to before she entered the corridor.

As she thought about how to get past the falling floor Lúcio, D. Va, and Junkrat showed up.

"Don't go down that way," Tracer said pointing to the corridor. "The floor will fall underneath you."

"Piece of cake!" Junkrat said taking out one of his Concussion Mines. "Just tell me how far I need to land."

As Junkrat spoke, Azúcar suddenly appeared once more.

"Oi!" Junkrat exclaimed. "How'd you get over there without falling?"

Instead of answering, Azúcar only ran.

"She's getting away!" D. Va shouted. "I'm not letting her get first place!"

Before anyone could stop her, D. Va ran into the corridor. As the floor started to fall, Tracer leapt into the air and Blinked. She managed to catch D. Va in the process and landed on the other side.

"Gotcha!" Tracer said triumphantly.

"You…saved me," D. Va said as her legs felt wobbly from the sudden motion.

"Aw!" Lúcio said looking at the gaping hole between him and Tracer. "Check this out!"

Using his rollerblades, Lúcio was able to skate along the wall of the corridor to the other side.

"Hey, that's no fair!" Junkrat said putting the Concussion Mine down and taking the Detonator from his trouser pocket. "Stop me if you've heard this one before. What did the volcano say before it exploded?"

The three looked at Junkrat quizzically.

"Kaboom!" Junkrat cried as he detonated the mine and went flying through the air.

Everyone stepped aside while Junkrat landed flat on his face on their side of the corridor. Concerned, Lúcio took out a device that looked like a giant speaker with a gun-like handle. Flipping a switch, Lúcio pointed the device at Junkrat as music started blaring from it.

"Isn't that, 'Rejuvenescência,' your first hit single?" D. Va said to Lúcio.

"Yeah," Lúcio said proudly. "I wrote that after I got this device."

"What is it?" Tracer asked.

"It's called the Sonic Amplifier," Lúcio explained. "Plays any tune you want, and it affects people a certain way. For instance, the song I'm playing right now 'Rejuvenescência' is currently healing Junkrat's wounds."

"Like Mercy's Caduceus Staff," Tracer observed.

"Amazing," Junkrat said as he got up. "I feel like a new man. You're coming with me, mate."

Then Junkrat took off dragging Lúcio along with him.

"You're not getting ahead of me, Junk Boy!" D. Va insisted as she followed after Junkrat and Lúcio.

Looking at her watch, Tracer realized they only had ten minutes to complete the obstacle course and so she Blinked to catch up to the others.

To be continued…


	65. Stage 65: Disguises and Hostages!

Stage 65: Disguises and Hostages!

"Something's not right about Azúcar," D. Va said while slurping Korean ramyeon. "First, she shoots me for no reason, keeps leaving class, and then she appeared out of thin air during the Final which was weird."

"Agreed," Tracer said, sitting across from D. Va with a basket of fish and chips. "Still, I appreciate you treating me to lunch."

"It was the least I could do to repay you for saving me from falling into that pit," D. Va said not looking at Tracer as she spoke. "But it doesn't mean we're even."

"Are you still mad at me about—

"Yes, I am," D. Va interrupted. "Because of you, I don't know what to do with my life."

"How so?" Tracer asked.

"For many years, I was led to believe Soldier: 76 had abandoned me. But these therapy sessions with Mercy have shown that he had no choice because my grandparents wanted me back. So where do I go from here? Leave my grandparents and move in with you?"

"Do you want to?"

D. Va sighed and said, "Not really. My grandparents are the only true family I have left, and they've taken care of me for so long that I can't see myself leaving them for good."

"Well, you could always continue staying with your grandparents and visit us occasionally."

"Are you sure that would be safe, given all this stuff with Talon lately?"

"Maybe once the situation cools down."

"I'll think about it."

After that, the two ate in silence.

###

Once the Finals were over, Tracer decided to head for the gymnasium for the Graduation Ceremony which was taking place at 10 AM in the morning.

 _I don't care what that note said_ , Tracer thought as she Blinked toward the building. _I'm not going to miss Winston's graduation if it's the last thing I do!_

Upon arriving, she noticed lots of people were already filtering in and Reinhardt was standing guard at the front entrance in his battle armor.

 _Bullox! He'll recognize me for sure_ , Tracer hid behind a building wall and took out something from a bag she was carrying. _Good thing I bought this on_ Skin _during that sale on last week._

After a quick change Tracer was now sporting a skin-tight yellow and blue suit complete with an orange-tinted helmet, matching kneepads and shoes, and the Chronal Accelerator on top of it. Underneath, she was wearing her battle outfit which made moving around somewhat stiff. Hoping to blend in with the crowd, Tracer avoided eye contact with Reinhardt and resisted the urge to Blink.

" _Excuse me!_ "

Recognizing the voice, Tracer turned to see Reinhardt looking down at her through his yellow helmet lens.

" _I don't recall seeing you around campus,_ " Reinhardt said.

"That's because I'm an online student," Tracer lied. "My Call Sign is Mach T."

" _Mach T?_ " Reinhardt pressed the side of his helmet and scrolled through a list of students.

While he was distracted, Tracer used the opportunity to Blink into the gym. Inside, Tracer found the bleachers to be completely crowded along with the rows of chairs that lined the gym floor facing a platform with the Overwatch symbol rotating on a blue holographic screen behind. As a result, Tracer had to settle for leaning against the wall on the top bleacher since that space was hardly filled. Time passed as more people filtered in until the lights went out. Everyone got silent as the Overwatch logo was replaced by a short video showcasing all the Seniors and their various accomplishments. The only one that was missing was Widowmaker, whose images were either blurred or gone completely.

 _I wonder how her parents feel, assuming they're here_ , Tracer thought as she watched the video.

When the video stopped playing, Soldier: 76 and the other teachers came on stage including Reinhardt. The crowd cheered as their individual logos were displayed along with footage from when they were much younger. Among these clips, Tracer noticed Gabe standing in the background of each one looking angry and threatening.

" _Friends, relatives, students, and staff,_ " Soldier: 76 addressing everyone. " _Welcome to Overwatch High's Tenth Graduation Ceremony!_ "

The crowd cheered loudly as the holographic screen went back to the Overwatch logo.

" _Now since the Omnic Crisis ended, we've come a long way to bring back peace to a war-ravaged world_ ," Soldier: 76 continued. " _Our top scientists invent new ways to improve people's lives, our engineers build things to provide shelter for the homeless or energy to desolate cities, and our Heroes protect those in need from various threats such as Talon! For the past few years, this elusive terrorist organization has been a thorn in our side. But I can assure you that we're working day and night to find these dastardly criminals so they can be brought to justice for all the crimes they've committed against the world!_ "

Tracer made a loud 'Whoo!' as the crowd applauded.

Soldier: 76 cleared his throat, and the applauding ceased. " _With that out of the way, let us commence the graduation ceremony as planned._ "

Then the lights suddenly turned off, causing everyone to gasp or cry out in surprise. Then all the screens including the holographic one went from blue to purple.

" _What's going on?_ " Reinhardt wondered out loud.

" _I do not know,_ " Soldier: 76 responded, pressing buttons on the podium's keypad. " _None of these commands seem to be working._ "

"Let me take a look at it," Torbjörn said as he approached the podium.

Unfortunately, the podium was taller than Torbjörn was. So Brigitte had to get a chair for him to step on. Once this was done, Torbjörn typed the same commands Soldier: 76 typed along with some different ones. Like before, none of them worked.

"We're experiencing technical difficulties," Ana said addressing the audience while Brigitte attempted to aid Torbjörn. "Hopefully, this won't take too long to fix."

A menacing laugh echoed from the screens as the outline of a skull appeared on them.

" _You think so, Granny?_ " said a distorted but clearly female voice.

Offended, Ana addressed the screen behind the stage. "Who is this?"

" _Sombra,_ " the voice answered. " _Does that name ring a bell?_ "

Ana hesitated as people started to mutter things in the crowd.

" _What do you want?_ " Soldier: 76 demanded.

" _Oh, nothing but your full cooperation to not leave this building for any reason,_ " Sombra said.

" _And if we do?_ " asked Soldier: 76.

" _The Scourge will destroy this place with one punch from his Gauntlet._ "

Hearing that, people started to panic.

"Why are you keeping us here?" Ana said with a concerned frown.

" _I'm not allowed to say,_ " Sombra indicated. " _But feel free to continue the ceremony._ "

With that, the skull vanished and the lights turned back on.

To be continued…


	66. Stage 66: Plan of Escape!

Stage 66: Plan of Escape!

So reluctantly, the graduation ceremony commenced while the purple screens remained. Soldier: 76 walked up to the podium, said a speech about the Offense Class, and read the graduates' names out loud. In turn the graduates walked on stage, received their diploma, and shook the hand of every teacher before exiting to the back room where they originally came from. Tracer was occupied trying to think of ways to escape the gym when Widowmaker's name was suddenly called among the Defense Class graduates. At first, Torbjörn seemed surprised and then he placed the diploma at the bottom.

" _Not going to say anything in her absence?_ " Sombra interrupted.

"Have you been listening the whole time?" Torbjörn wondered.

" _Of course I have,_ " Sombra said gleefully. " _And I'm curious to know why Widowmaker's photos have been altered._ "

People started to whisper as Torbjörn failed to answer.

" _Is it because she was a sleeper agent for Talon and you wanted to erase her from your records in case someone tried to find out?_ " Sombra guessed.

" _Where did you get such information?_ " Soldier: 76 said while Torbjörn was still stunned.

" _I have ways_ ," Sombra replied. " _I've also found several files about a guy named Ghost. Someone you know?_ "

Soldier: 76 hesitated and said, " _There's no one here with that name._ "

Sombra chuckled. " _Funny, he kind of sounds like my boss._ "

" _In what way?_ " Soldier: 76's eyebrow raised slightly.

" _He's very grumpy, always stubborn, and short-tempered._ " There was a brief pause and then Sombra said, " _Forget I said anything. Anyway, say something about Widowmaker or I'll talk to Scourge about 'early demolition.'_ "

The skull vanished once more, followed by deafening silence.

Torbjörn held up Widowmaker's diploma and said, "Widowmaker was originally going to make a speech at this part in the ceremony, but since she's not with us I'll have to make do. She was…one of the better students I had to deal with. Never complained or hesitated, got her work done on time, and always kept focused on her goals. For this reason, it is unfortunate that she has been forced to do terrible things against her will, and we were too naive to see the problem until now. But if the past were different, she would've made an excellent Overwatch agent."

" _Aw, that's so sweet,_ " Sombra said in response. " _I'll tell Widowmaker you said those things._ "

" _Is she with you?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

" _No,_ " Sombra replied. " _She's with my boss and they're in the middle of something._ "

" _Such as?_ " inquired Soldier: 76.

" _You know the answer to that, old man._ "

As the skull vanished a third time, Soldier: 76 looked bewildered. Then while Reinhardt went through his list of Tank Class graduates, Soldier: 76 pulled Ana to the side and they hid behind some bleachers. Tracer watched them go and was tempted to follow but decided to stay put in case Sombra was watching. When Winston's name was called, he came on stage wearing the graduation robe with a goofy grin on his face. At that moment, Tracer got a text message on her phone that said, 'Pay no attention to the hologram on stage. Meet me in the janitor's closet'.

 _It's from Winston_ , Tracer noticed reading the message. _Maybe he's found a way out._

Then before anyone noticed her, Tracer Blinked from the bleachers into an adjacent hallway from the entrance and found the janitor's closet to be unlocked when she opened it. Inside she found Winston in his battle gear pointing the Tesla Cannon at Junkrat and Roadhog who were standing near a giant hole with their hands up.

Confused, Tracer closed the door and asked, "What's going on?"

"After Sombra's message was broadcasted throughout the whole gym, I went to search for a means of escape leaving a holographic image in place of me. Unfortunately, most of the exits were sealed and I dared not to break them. Then I saw these two sneaking into the janitor's closet and investigated. It seems they had been digging this hole for the past several months with the intention of leaving campus."

"Only because you wankers have bad security," Junkrat said defensively. "No wonder the hacker managed to put this building on lockdown."

"Enough!" Winston demanded. "Now how far does the tunnel go?"

"I'm not telling you," Junkrat responded.

"And why not?" Tracer said folding her arms. "Would you rather get blasted to smithereens?"

Junkrat held his tongue. So Winston pressed a button, causing the cannon to charge.

" _It goes to my shed,_ " Roadhog abruptly said, causing Junkrat to scowl at him.

"Squealer!" Junkrat snapped.

"That will suit us just fine," Winston said, turning the cannon off.

"Us?" Tracer said with an astonished expression. "I'm coming with you?"

"You're the only one I know who can pull this off quickly," Winston said.

"Pull what off? You're not making sense."

"We're going to stop Talon from stealing the Doomfist Gauntlet," Winston said confidently. "That's why they put this building on lockdown: to keep the Heroes from interfering while they steal the artifact from the Heritage Museum."

Tracer gave Winston a concerned look. "But how will we get there? And what if they've already stolen it?"

"If the Doomfist Gauntlet was stolen, the lockdown would be over already," Winston replied. "As for getting there, I already have a plan for that. But first, let us get to the shed. Lead the way, Junkrat and Roadhog."

The two looked at each other, and then they reluctantly descended into the hole with Winston and Tracer following behind.

###

Inside the shed, Winston told Tracer to look outside and see if The Scourge was patrolling on the side of the gymnasium that faced them. After a quick peek, Tracer noticed Scourge's hulking form sauntering a few feet from the shed. Once she relayed this to Winston, he turned to Junkrat and Roadhog who were lurking around a large object that was covered by tarp.

"Something you'd like to share with the rest of us?" Tracer said as she glanced at the tarp waywardly.

Making an audible grunt, Junkrat reached into his trousers but was stopped by Roadhog's massive hand. Followed by a subtle shake of the head, Roadhog grabbed a part of the tarp while Junkrat did the same. They lifted the tarp together, revealing a large yellow motorcycle with a matching sidecar.

"Care to explain that?" Winston said looking at the motorcycle's designs with bemusement.

"It's our getaway ride, ape-breath," Junkrat said proudly. "We just finished making it last month."

"So this lockdown was your perfect opportunity to get away, then?" Tracer realized.

"Course it was!" Junkrat snapped. "Then you two showed up and ruined everything."

"This will do nicely," Winston said adjusting his glasses. "Junkrat, you and Roadhog will keep Scourge distracted while Tracer and I borrow your bike to get to the museum."

" _No!_ " Roadhog objected. " _This bike is our pride and joy. I won't allow you to take it away from us!_ "

Winston sighed. "Very well. You may use the bike to your advantage against Scourge, but keep him distracted long enough for me and Tracer to leave campus."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Tracer said to Winston. "They might try to escape regardless of what we tell them."

"They won't try to," Winston said holding up a pair of GPS trackers. "As soon as they're off-campus, the trackers will go off alerting any policemen in the area."

While Tracer kept her Pulse Pistols trained on Junkrat and Roadhog, Winston fitted a tracker on their right ankles. When this was done, Tracer changed out of her disguise while Winston had Junkrat and Roadhog get on the bike. As soon as they were ready, Winston held up his five fingers and counted down to one. Then he pushed open the shed doors allowing Roadhog to drive the motorbike out with Junkrat riding in the sidecar.

To be continued…


	67. Stage 67: A Shining Moment!

**For this chapter I'm basically retelling the events that happened in the first Overwatch Cinematic Trailer with Winston, Tracer, Reaper, and Widowmaker. There will be some original elements here and there particularly at the beginning and end. Hope you enjoy this retelling and please don't get mad if I screw up or change a few details.**

Stage 67: A Shining Moment!

"Oi! Big guy!" Junkrat shouted as Roadhog halted the motorbike in front of The Scourge who looked surprised. "What're you doing hanging around a school? Shouldn't you be out of town by now?"

"Who wishes to know?" The Scourge asked irritably.

"Just a couple of Junkers from the Outback, mate," Junkrat said snidely.

"You're a long way from home," Scourge observed. "Possibly on the run from the law?"

"Yeah, that's it," Junkrat fibbed. "So if you come with us, you'll be scot free!"

"I cannot go," replied Scourge as he attempted to walk around the motorbike.

"And why's that?" Junkrat said, glancing at the shed where Tracer and Winston were peeking out from.

"The Doomfist Gauntlet," Scourge answered solemnly. "You've heard of it?"

"Sure I have! It's that shiny glove thing that packs a punch, right?"

"More or less," Scourge said clenching his left hand which was covered by a large gauntlet that went up to his forearm. "Overwatch took the Gauntlet from my master."

"And you want it back," Junkrat interrupted. "Tell you what? We'll break into the Numbani Heritage Museum, steal the Gauntlet, and bring it to you."

Stopping behind the bike, Scourge looked over his shoulder. "What do you want in return?"

"Some dough would be nice," Junkrat said rubbing his hands together.

Scourge shook his head. "No deal."

"I'll give you a fair price," Junkrat offered.

"Talon has already agreed to help me, and they ask for nothing but my cooperation."

As Scourge started to walk away, Junkrat said, "They're just using you, mate."

Hearing that, Scourge stopped and turned around. "Excuse me."

"They don't really want to give you the Gauntlet," Junkrat suggested. "They'll just take it for themselves and put the blame on you."

"How dare you speak to me like that!" Scourge snapped. "You're just a snot-nosed kid from a radioactive wasteland that's devolved into barbarism."

"At least we have manners, which you seem to be lacking."

"Take back your words, or suffer my wrath," Scourge growled as the gauntlet on his left hand seemed to glow.

"Catch us if you can, lunkhead!" Junkrat cried as Roadhog revved up the engine.

As the two drove away in the opposite direction, Scourge slammed his gauntlet on the ground causing the ground to tremble. The motorbike rumbled, but it continued along down the football field and turned left toward the campus quad. Angered, Scourge followed the motorbike while Tracer and Winston used this opportunity to get away.

###

At the Numbani Heritage Museum, Widowmaker was waiting by a back door with no handle when a black cloud suddenly appeared and transformed into Reaper.

"See anyone?" Widowmaker asked quietly.

" ** _Not a soul,_** " Reaper said bluntly. Then he pressed something underneath his hood. " ** _Sombra, care to unlock the door for us?_** "

" _Sí, Señor_ (Yes, Sir) _,_ " Sombra replied.

There was the sound of a click and the back door slid open slightly.

" ** _I'll go in first,_** " Reaper said, turning into his mist-like form. " ** _Wait for my signal._** "

Then as the cloud moved inside, Widowmaker put on the Infra-Sight visor and watched the area.

When she saw nothing, Reaper's voice came through the blue tooth in her ear. " ** _All clear. Prepare to move in._** "

"On my way," Widowmaker nodded and turned to head into the door.

"Stop right there!"

Widowmaker glanced back and saw Winston standing a foot away with the Tesla Cannon pointed right at her.

"You must really like me," Widowmaker said coyly.

"Drop your weapon, and walk calmly toward me," Winston responded.

"I am not leaving without that gauntlet," Widowmaker insisted and used her wrist-bound Grappling Hook to get up onto the roof.

"What should we do?" Tracer asked, appearing from behind Winston.

"Go inside the museum," Winston said leaping onto the roof while Widowmaker vanished. "I'll meet you there."

"Roger!" Tracer responded and Blinked into the door just as it closed behind her.

 _That must've been Sombra's doing,_ Tracer thought as she eyed a security camera suspiciously. _I hope she's not watching me right now._

For the sake of precaution, Tracer Blinked forward and hid herself in places where the security cameras weren't looking. Eventually, she found herself in a large room with a glass ceiling and several artifacts on display including ancient mechs, Omnic-based weaponry, and a large holographic video explaining the history of Overwatch. As Tracer approached this room, she saw two young boys crowded around a glass display showing the Doomfist Gauntlet which was hovering in midair. One wore a blue hoodie and jeans while the other had a yellow T-shirt on and shorts. They seemed to be talking to one another when the ground suddenly shook.

Tracer looked up at the ceiling and realized it wasn't the ground that was shaking but the ceiling as Winston suddenly fell through a glass window with Widowmaker following after. But before she hit the floor, Widowmaker used her Grappling Hook to latch onto the ceiling and fired several rounds at Winston with her Sniper Rifle while lowering herself down. The boys were in the line of fire, but Winston saved them at the last minute by blocking the bullets with his armor. He then shooed the boys away, forcing them to hide as Reaper suddenly entered the room and pulled out two shotguns. Immediately, he fired them at Winston who was able to block them as well until he leaped into the air and attempted to crush Reaper. Unfortunately, Reaper turned into mist and reappeared elsewhere resuming his rapid firing.

 _Seems like Winston's hung up on that guy,_ Tracer realized, and saw Widowmaker land on the balcony one floor above. _Guess I'll take care of her, then._

Meanwhile, Widowmaker picked up her Sniper Rifle and equipped the Infra-Sight visor. She scanned the floor below until she found the display with the Doomfist Gauntlet inside.

"Ah, there you are," Widowmaker said under her breath.

"What'cha looking at?" Tracer said suddenly appearing next to Widowmaker.

Surprised, Widowmaker leapt off the balcony and fired at Tracer while doing so. Fortunately Tracer leapt into the air, pulled out her Pulse Pistols, and rolled onto the bottom floor without a bullet wound on her. She immediately fired several rounds at Widowmaker who returned fire while Winston was still busy dealing with Reaper. Then as Reaper reappeared once more, he surrounded himself in black mist and spun around sending a hail of bullets everywhere.

" ** _Die, die, die!_** " Reaper said as he did this.

Several glass cases were shattered, including the one that held the Doomfist Gauntlet. The boys ducked behind a knocked over bench, while Winston trusted his armor to protect him. Tracer instead chose to fire back at Reaper as she Blinked out of the way of his bullets. But then the Chronal Accelerator's light started to dim, forcing Tracer to hide behind the same bench the boys were hiding. As she watched the light go out, she turned to the boys. They looked both surprised and concerned.

"Cheers, love," Tracer tried to say cheerfully. "Cavalry's here!"

Hearing that, the boy with the yellow shirt's face lit up.

Then as Reaper finished his attack, he approached Winston who was crouched on the floor with his glasses lying on the ground between them.

" ** _Seems like you dropped something,_** " Reaper said as he stepped on the glasses.

Seeing this, Winston roared with anger as his fur suddenly turned red and his eyes became bright yellow with electrical pulses.

"Oh, dear," Tracer said as the Chronal Accelerator's light returned. "It seems like someone activated Winston's Primal Rage."

As Tracer leapt from her hiding place, she saw Winston charging at Reaper with brute force while Widowmaker attempted to provide support fire for Reaper. In response, Tracer resumed attacking Widowmaker which forced her to hide behind a shattered display. Then as Tracer recharged her pistols, shotgun bullets flew around.

"Don't you know it's rude to shoot a lady while her back is turned?" Tracer said, pointing the Pulse Pistols at Reaper who was evading Winston's attacks.

" ** _Death comes for all,_** " Reaper replied as he pointed his shotguns at Winston.

"Try all you like, but Winston won't stop till his rage is quenched," Tracer said, firing the shotguns out of Reaper's hands.

To her surprise, Reaper miraculously produced two new shotguns. He fired one at Tracer and the other at Winston. While Tracer dodged his bullets, Winston's armor absorbed their impact as he kept charging at Reaper. During all of this, Widowmaker was slowly making her way to the display where the Doomfist Gauntlet was, but it wasn't there. Curious, she circled around the display and found the boy with the blue hoodie holding onto the Gauntlet.

"Such a pity," Widowmaker said as she pointed the Sniper Rifle at the boy.

"Look out!" cried the boy in the yellow T-shirt.

This distracted Widowmaker momentarily and when she looked back the other boy was wearing the Doomfist Gauntlet. In a split second, he punched her in the face which not only send Widowmaker flying through several unbroken glass cases but it also send a shockwave which caused everyone to fall except for Reaper. He turned into black mist and floated over to Widowmaker who got up slowly.

" ** _On your feet!_** " Reaper commanded. " ** _We're leaving!_** "

Reluctantly, Widowmaker put her arm around Reaper's waist and used the Grappling Hook to launch both of them up to the ceiling. The enraged Winston leaped after them, while Tracer watched. Then she looked back at the boys, with the blue hooded one holding up the Doomfist Gauntlet which was now broken.

"Not bad," Tracer said as she took the Doomfist Gauntlet from the boy's hand. "Maybe once you're old enough, you can try your luck at Overwatch High."

Then with a one-handed salute Tracer Blinked over to the display case, put the Doomfist Gauntlet back inside, and leaped up through the ceiling to pursue Winston.

To be continued…


	68. Stage 68: Consequences!

Stage 68: Consequences!

"Can you believe this?" Tracer said looking at a newspaper.

She was sitting at the dining table in her home with Soldier: 76, Winston, and D. Va who had decided to visit for the summer. The newspaper had a picture of the broken Doomfist Gauntlet on the front page with bold letters over it that said, 'Heritage Museum Sues Overwatch For Property Damage!'

"They make us seem like the bad guys when we actually saved them from real ones," Tracer said to herself. "And I'm barely mentioned in here."

" _That's because you're not an Overwatch member yet,_ " Soldier: 76 explained. " _And you did damage several artifacts that'll take weeks, possibly months, to repair._ "

"But if we hadn't interfered, Talon would've gotten away with the Gauntlet," Winston argued.

" _If so, you should've told me before going through with your plan,_ " Soldier: 76 said firmly.

"At least I stopped Junkrat and Roadhog from leaving campus with MEKA," D. Va said proudly. "And got Scourge arrested by the Numbani Police."

Soldier: 76 sighed irritably. " _I asked you to get help, not stop a group of dangerous criminals. Why else did I sent you crawling through the vents for?_ "

"Come on, Daddy," D. Va mocked. "Nothing bad happened to me, and it all worked out."

Tracer watched Soldier: 76 shutter slightly.

" _I would prefer if you didn't call me Daddy,_ " Soldier: 76 responded coldly.

"Why not?" D. Va asked.

" _It would be problematic if our enemies heard you calling me that and assumed you were my biological daughter,_ " Soldier: 76 said after a pause. " _So for safety's sake, just call me Jack._ "

"Okay," D. Va shrugged.

" _Because of the crazy stunts you three pulled off, our organization is under scrutiny from the UN,_ " Soldier: 76 said looking at everyone with a stern expression. " _And depending on how things go, we may have to close down the school._ "

"Don't put all the blame on us!" Tracer objected. "We were just trying to help, for crying out loud!"

" _And now you have to suffer the consequences for it,_ " Soldier: 76 stated. " _That's what comes with being a Hero._ "

After that, breakfast was silent.

###

Later that night, Soldier: 76 decided to make a call. "Hello? May I speak to Gabrielle Adawe, the Under-Secretary General of the UN?"

" _Who is calling?_ " replied a male voice.

"Soldier: 76."

" _One moment please._ "

There was a quiet ringing sound on the other end while Soldier: 76 waited patiently.

" _Hello, Jack Morrison,_ " said a cold female voice on the other end.

"Ms. Adawe," Soldier: 76 started to say.

An audible groan came on the other end. " _Well, speak up._ "

"How's the situation?"

" _Hectic,_ " replied Gabrielle. " _Some want to deny Overwatch's involvement in the museum incident, while others are trying to decide what to do with your 'prisoners.'_ "

"They were my responsibility. I shouldn't have let them out of my sight."

" _Indeed, but at least they didn't get away. As for Scourge, the Numbani Police have decided to put him in solitary confinement at the highest-security prison in the nation._ "

"What about his gauntlet?"

" _It's been confiscated._ "

"And his predecessor's?"

" _Our technical experts are working on repairing it as we speak._ "

"Maybe you shouldn't do that."

" _The Numbani Heritage Museum was created to demonstrate peace. A broken gauntlet belonging to its country's greatest Hero, despite his controversial status, sends the wrong message to those who feel threatened._ "

"I understand that, but—

" _There are no buts, Jack. We live in a different world, so stop living in the past._ "

"I'm just worried about Scourge. What if he—

" _There is no need to worry about him. We have things under control, unlike you._ "

"But you just said things were hectic."

" _For now, but we'll sort things out soon enough. Is this all you wanted to talk to me about?_ "

"No, there is one more thing."

" _Go ahead._ "

"Have you had any luck finding our perpetrators from Talon?"

" _Nothing solid except vague reports._ _We've determined that the one called 'Reaper' is responsible for the mysterious deaths that have been occurring_ _lately. Eyewitnesses claim to see a figure clad in black with a skull face near the places where the victims were killed, including the ones at Savior Hospital._ "

"Do you know how he does it?"

" _I thought that was Mercy's job._ "

"She's been too busy to take care of it."

" _Should I have the medical experts look into this?_ "

"No, I'll contact Mercy later."

" _Very well. Try not to call me so often, Jack. I sense there will be dangerous times ahead of us._ "

Then with that, Gabrielle hung up on Soldier: 76

###

A few days later, an official report came out from the UN stating that, 'The United Nations has not authorized any Overwatch operations' claiming the museum incident was caused by The Scourge who was attempting to reclaim the Doomfist Gauntlet but Talon showed up to try and claim it first.

"That's not true," Tracer said watching the television as this broadcast was made. "Why would they lie about the whole thing?"

" _To save Overwatch's reputation,_ " Soldier: 76 replied calmly.

"But surely the people will realize that this information is false," Winston noted.

" _The security cameras were disabled by Sombra during the break-in, so no one knows what really happened in the museum._ "

"Except for us," Tracer realized.

" _And my boss wants it to stay that way._ "

"I thought you were the boss," D. Va said looking at Soldier: 76.

" _No, I take orders from the UN. They were the ones who created our organization in the first place, so what they say goes._ "

"That's so unfair," D. Va pouted.

"What's going to happen to Junkrat and Roadhog?" Tracer asked. "Any word about that?"

" _They're going to deport them back to Australia and be incarcerated in Sydney's top-ranked Correctional Facility._ "

"You mean they're going to prison?" When Soldier: 76 nodded, Tracer asked, "For what?"

" _Destruction of public property, reckless driving, and threatening civilian lives._ "

"But most of that destruction was caused by Scourge and D. Va," Winston corrected, which caused D. Va to glare at him. "No offense!"

"Hmph!" D. Va huffed.

" _Regardless of the truth, the UN sees those two as potential threats to our school so they opted to get rid of them._ "

"Then why didn't they just send them to prison before?" D. Va wondered.

" _I thought they could be changed for the better under our guidance, but it seems I was wrong._ "

"You can't change criminals, Jack," Tracer insisted. "They'll just revert back to their usual patterns."

" _Yeah, but there are some exceptions._ "

"Like who?" Tracer tried to think of some, but came up with nothing.

" _McCree,_ " Soldier: 76 responded.

Tracer and D. Va looked genuinely surprised, while Winston adjusted his glasses.

" _Maybe I said too much,_ " Soldier: 76 said as he turned off the TV. " _Why don't you three go outside and do something fun? Summer's not going to last forever._ "

"Will you tell us about McCree when we get back?" D. Va asked.

"It seems only fair since you brought it up," Winston said supportively.

Soldier: 76 shook his head. " _Fine. I'm going to go and get some work done._ "

With that conviction, Soldier: 76 left the living room and went into his room upstairs.

"I've got an idea!" Tracer exclaimed. "Let's visit Goldshire Studios. It'll be super-fun and maybe we'll get to see Alfred Glitchbot if we're lucky!"

"Oh, I know him," D. Va said abruptly. "He was originally going to direct the movie I was in, _Hero of My Storm_ , but they chose someone else instead. I could probably arrange to have you see him in person."

"Really? That would be fantastic!" Tracer said as she stood up and hugged D. Va. "Thanks, Hana."

"Um, sure," D. Va said tensely. "You're squeezing me too tight."

"Oh, sorry," Tracer replied as she let go.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Winston said eagerly putting on an old-fashioned Pith helmet. "Let's head to Goldshire Studios! There's a bus-stop nearby."

"Forget the bus," D. Va said putting on her pink headphones with the antennae. "I've got a better ride in mind."

To be continued…


	69. Stage 69: Behind the Scenes!

Stage 69: Behind the Scenes!

"So…what did you think of my ride?" D. Va asked as she parked MEKA outside Goldshire Studios with Winston and Tracer hanging onto the mech's shoulders.

"Detestable to say the least," Winston said as he slid off.

"It wasn't that bad," Tracer responded as she did the same. "Just a little…bumpy, is all."

"Well, excuse me," D. Va complained as she got out of the cockpit. "I'm not used to navigating civilian areas like this."

"Didn't they teach you anything at the South Korean Army?" Winston said skeptically.

"I'm not actually part of it," D. Va corrected. "They just hired me to test MEKA under Overwatch's supervision."

"Why couldn't you test MEKA back home? I'm sure there's an Overwatch base there."

D. Va shook her head. "The South Korean Army didn't want Overwatch to interfere."

"With what?" Tracer butted in.

In response, D. Va turned toward the studio entrance. "Let's go inside before we miss seeing Hal-Fred Glitchbot."

Tracer was puzzled. "But—

"Let it go," Winston said putting his hand on Tracer's shoulder. "She obviously doesn't want to tell us."

With that, Tracer and Winston followed D. Va into the studio. After passing through a fake Western style town that was used for _Six-Gun Killer_ , they came to a large set which showed two of the tentacled alien monsters featured in _They Came From Beyond The Moon_ hanging from strings along with a couple of foam meteorites. Behind them were two walls painted to look like lunar hills against an eerie green sky and at the center was a plastic rocket ship that was several feet tall. Scattered about the rocket ship were a couple of foam meteorites that had been cut in half and stuck to the floor to make them seem like they were sticking out of the ground. Then towards the back was a square-shaped space illuminated by a purple spotlight showing a chair with the name 'Hal-Fred Glitchbot' sewn in gold letters on the back of it.

"Oh my gosh," Tracer gasped. "It's his chair."

"It would appear so," Winston said adjusting his glasses which had been fixed after Reaper destroyed them.

Then as Tracer was about to touch the chair, a robotic voice came out of the darkness.

" _Just what do you think you're doing?_ "

Tracer backed away as an Omnic came into the spotlight.

"Hal-Fred Glitchbot," Tracer said recognizing the Omnic.

" _Yes, that is my name,_ " the Omnic responded. " _You want my autograph or something?_ "

"That would be super," Tracer said taking out a pen and paper from her back pocket. "I'm a really huge fan of your work and—

" _Not today,_ " Hal-Fred said abruptly.

"What?"

" _I'm heading out of town to shoot my next movie, so I don't have time to sign autographs,_ " Hal-Fred responded as he walked past Tracer. " _The Gift Shop is nearby._ "

As Hal-Fred left the set, Tracer was stunned along with Winston and D. Va.

"I should've warned you," D. Va said after a pause. "Hal-Fred has a reputation for being rude to people and is very strict about his shooting schedule."

"I'll say," Winston concurred. "Although I'm surprised he didn't recognize you since you've worked with him before."

"I've never actually met Hal-Fred," D. Va admitted causing Tracer and Winston to look at her. "I was cast in _Hero of My Storm_ at the last minute when the previous actress quit and Hal-Fred was replaced by a different director because nobody could stand working with him."

"Then why did you fib about knowing him?" Winston demanded.

"But I did know him, just not in person," D. Va said defensively. She then turned to Tracer who looked distraught. "I'm sorry, Lena. We shouldn't have come here."

"It's okay, Hana," Tracer said, hiding her distress with a smile. "At least I got to meet Hal-Fred before he left."

###

At the Gift Shop, Tracer was eyeing some tentacle monster figurines when several loud noises were heard nearby.

"What was that?" D. Va wondered.

"Sounded like gunshots," Winston said, and ran out.

D. Va and Tracer followed him, seeing people running away in terror while cars drove away quickly. Looking from behind the Goldshire Studios archway, the three saw a black limousine parked next to a flight of stairs and two men in black suits with matching sunglasses lying on the ground with bullet wounds in their foreheads.

"Those two are Hal-Fred's bodyguards," Tracer realized. "I've seen them at movie premieres Hal-Fred attended in the past."

"Who would do such a thing?" D. Va said trying not to look.

"I'm not sure, but they were clearly trying to eliminate Hal-Fred," Winston answered gravely.

"Just because he's an Omnic?" D. Va gave Winston a dubious stare.

"Partially, but it also has to do with the subjects in his films which has sparked controversy among those who don't like Omnics," Winston explained. "For instance, _Six-Gun Killer_ 's main character was a Cyborg which made many people uncomfortable due to their questionable civilian status. Then _They Came From Beyond The Moon_ had the first Omnic actor involved, and that pushed people's buttons since he was treated as an equal among the human lunar scientists."

"I suppose, but it's been several years since those films came out," D. Va argued. "Surely people have calmed down about it by now."

"Not necessarily," Winston corrected. "The London protests have reignited anti-Omnic sentiment once more, so I wouldn't be surprised if someone decided to try and assassinate Hal-Fred Glitchbot now given the rumors that his new film will feature Omnics in leading roles."

"But this doesn't look like the work of some anti-Omnic fanatic," Tracer said pointing to the bodies. "There's no way they could make precise wounds like that."

"You're right," Winston agreed. "Wounds like those could only be done by an expert marksman, which means we're dealing with a professional assassin here."

"That's a lot of assumptions, Winston," D. Va noted. "If the person wanted Hal-Fred to be killed, then why assassinate the bodyguards?"

"Maybe the assassin was aiming for Hal-Fred, but they got in the way," Winston assessed. "If that's the case, then Hal-Fred must be around here somewhere."

"I'll go get MEKA," D. Va decided. "Then once I'm inside, I can investigate the situation without getting shot."

"Very well," Winston nodded. "But try to do it quietly. We don't want our assassin to know of our presence."

"Roger," D. Va saluted and said, "MEKA, activate!"

At that moment, MEKA suddenly leaped down from the air behind them which startled both Winston and Tracer. Before Winston could protest, D. Va got into the cockpit and pressed a button which revealed a hidden compartment containing Winston and Tracer's battle outfits along with their respective weapons.

" _Get into those_ ," D. Va said from inside the cockpit. " _I'm going to find Hal-Fred in the meantime._ "

"Be careful," Tracer said as D. Va prepared to move MEKA forward.

" _Don't worry,_ " D. Va responded. " _MEKA will protect me._ "

As D. Va approached the parking lot, Winston and Tracer found some restrooms in the Gift Shop where they changed into their outfits. With their weapons brandished, they left the Gift Shop and came into the parking lot. There, D. Va was blocking shots coming from the second floor with the Defense Matrix shield up.

"Get through this, Widowmaker!" D. Va cried.

"Widowmaker?" Tracer said with surprise. "Leave her to me."

Then Tracer Blinked up a hidden staircase to the second floor with both Pulse Pistols loaded. By the time she got there, Widowmaker was preparing to reload her Sniper Rifle.

"Hello, luv," Tracer said, getting her attention. "Remember me?"

" _Merde,_ " Widowmaker muttered as she used the Grappling Hook to get onto the roof.

Tracer followed her, but Widowmaker was completely gone.

"Huh, guess she didn't want to see me after all," Tracer said after a pause before heading back down to the parking-lot.

" _Hal-Fred's okay,_ " D. Va said. " _He's just cowering in the limo right now._ "

" _I'm not cowering, you fool!_ " Hal-Fred shouted from inside the car. " _It's called self-preservation. Look it up!_ "

"Is the driver all right?" Tracer looked but saw no one in the driver's seat.

" _Are you blind? This is a self-driving car,_ " Hal-Fred stated. " _I had it ordered after my last driver nearly killed me._ "

"Was he affiliated with an anti-Omnic group?" Winston asked.

" _No, he was one of my adoring fans,_ " Hal-Fred said sarcastically. " _Of course he was anti-Omnic affiliated! Now if you're all just going to stand there looking like blithering idiots, I'm leaving._ "

"For where?" Tracer said anxiously.

" _My trailer,_ " Hal-Fred answered. " _You didn't really think I would leave town in a limousine? I'd be blasted to bits before I even got to the airport!_ "

"Then maybe we could escort you to the trailer," Winston offered. "As of last month, I'm an official member of Overwatch and these two are Heroes-in-Training."

" _That doesn't sound reassuring,_ " Hal-Fred responded. " _How do I know you're not with the assassin that took out my bodyguards?_ "

"I have the paperwork to prove it." Winston reached into a hidden pocket and took out his Overwatch certificate, which he received upon graduating, thrusting it against the passenger seat window.

Hal-Fred huffed inside. " _Could be a forgery for all I know._ "

Hearing that, Winston thrust an ID card which had his picture and other bits of information on it.

" _What is this?_ "

"A Hero's Badge," Winston said. "This gives me the legal authority to deal with a dangerous situation when the police aren't around."

" _How come it says,'Temporary' on the bottom?_ "

"Look, will you please trust us?" Tracer insisted. "If we hadn't stepped in, you would've been shot for sure. Your bodyguards sacrificed themselves for you."

" _They were paid to protect me. That's all there is to it._ " Hal-Fred said coldly.

"On the streets, you'll be a moving target and innocent people will get hurt. Do you want their deaths on your hands, Mister Glitchbot?"

There was no answer.

"That's what I thought. Now where's your trailer parked?"

" _Behind the They Came From Beyond the Moon set,_ " Hal-Fred said reluctantly.

"Excellent! So all we have to do is drive through the _Six-Gun Killer_ set to get there."

" _What if the assassin shows up there?_ "

"Then we'll stop them. Should be easy since it's three against one."

" _How much do you expect for payment?_ "

"It's free of charge," Winston said. "We're doing this out of the goodness of our hearts."

" _I'm not a charity case!_ " Hal-Fred insisted. " _I'll pay 500 in advance, and 1000 if you can get me to the trailer in one piece._ "

"Don't worry, sir, we will," Winston said assuredly and told the girls his strategy to defend Hal-Fred from Widowmaker's future assassination attempts.

To be continued…


	70. Stage 70: Unexpected Help!

Stage 70: Unexpected Help!

With D. Va in front with MEKA, Tracer and Winston positioned themselves on the sides of the limo. First the limo hovered out of the parking space and turned toward a pair of large wooden gates that signified the entrance to the Western style town.

"Open the gates, Hal," Tracer said after receiving an approving nod from Winston.

There was a _click_ and the wooden gates swung open. The car moved slowly forward and D. Va kept ahead of it. Winston and Tracer, on the other hand, were busy looking around for any sign of movement. Then just as they were approaching the Pioneer Hotel, Reaper suddenly appeared a few feet from D. Va.

" ** _End of the road,_** " Reaper said picking up both shotguns.

" _Routing power to forward barriers_ ," D. Va said turning on the Defense Matrix from inside MEKA's cockpit.

"I'll cover her," Winston said charging the Tesla Cannon. "You keep an eye out for Widowmaker."

"Roger!" Tracer said as Winston moved to the front of the limo.

" _Come on, keep moving!_ " Hal-Fred complained. " _I don't have all day!_ "

"We're moving as fast as we can," Tracer responded.

" _Then move faster! I've got a tight schedule and I can't afford to be late._ "

"Miss me, _ma cherie_ (my sweetheart)?" Widowmaker cooed as she appeared on the roof of a nearby building holding a Venom Mine in her hand. "Here is my gift to you."

As she threw the Venom Mine down, Tracer Blinked out of its path and fired her Pulse Pistols at Widowmaker who merely ran away.

"Shoot!" Tracer said as she quickly reloaded the Pulse Pistols.

" _Don't just stand there!_ " Hal-Fred snapped. " _Look for the assassin!_ "

"I am," Tracer said glancing on the roofs.

Up front, Winston was having a difficult time shooting Reaper as kept disappearing and reappearing in puffs of black smoke. This forced D. Va to temporarily lower the Defense Matrix and use the Fusion Cannons to attack. It was then that a Sniper Rifle was shot, and Winston went down. Immediately, Tracer Recalled a few seconds back and told Winston to move just before the Sniper Rifle was fired. When it did, Tracer saw Widowmaker on the roof of a salon.

"Shoot there!" Tracer said to D. Va who turned the Fusion Cannons toward Widowmaker.

As she fired the cannons, Widowmaker disappeared from sight once more. As for Reaper, he had appeared further behind the car and pressed the side of his head.

" ** _Have you hacked into the car yet, Sombra?_** " Reaper demanded.

" _Not yet,_ " Sombra replied. " _I need a little more time._ "

" ** _Why is it taking so long?_** "

" _It's a brand-new car, so it has top-notch security systems installed._ "

" ** _I don't care! Just get it done already!_** "

Hearing that, Tracer and Winston looked back and noticed Reaper.

"So that's where you went," Tracer said getting his attention. "Thought sneaking up on us would be a synch?"

" _Excuse me!_ " Hal-Fred interrupted. " _Could you tell your friend in the giant robot to move forward? We need to get to my trailer, or have you forgotten already?_ "

" ** _So annoying,_** " Reaper said as he turned into black mist and reappeared on the roof of the limo with both shotguns pointing down. " ** _Might as well silence you for good._** "

"Don't you dare pull the trigger!" Tracer warned. "Or Winston and I will be forced to shoot."

" ** _Go ahead,_** " Reaper taunted. " ** _Nothing can kill me._** "

"Only one way to find out," Winston said, aiming the Tesla Cannon.

" _If you get one scratch on my car, I'll sue all of you!_ " Hal-Fred said. " _Now get this creep off already!_ "

" _Okay!_ " D. Va said, turning MEKA around with the Fusion Cannons trained on Reaper.

As she commenced firing, Reaper vanished once more.

"Where's he going now?" Tracer said following the trail of mist with her eyes.

"We don't have time to go after him," Winston noted. "For now, let's—

" _Um, pardon me,_ " Hal-Fred abruptly said. " _But my car has stopped running!_ "

Sure enough, the car was no longer hovering and the tires didn't fold out to cushion its fall.

"What happened?" Winston wondered.

" _I don't know,_ " Hal-Fred said nervously. " _The screen inside went blank, and then it turned purple._ "

"Sombra!" Tracer realized. "She must have taken control of the car remotely."

"And thanks to her, you're trapped in my web," Widowmaker said appearing on another roof with her Sniper Rifle out. She looked into the lens and said, "Any last words?"

" _Keep your heads down!_ " said a voice that was different from Hal-Fred's.

A stream of rockets suddenly came flying at Widowmaker, forcing her to take aim at their source which was none other than Soldier: 76 brandishing the Pulse Rifle. She fired the Sniper Rifle but Soldier: 76 sprinted out of the way and ducked behind the car. Tracer and Winston followed Soldier: 76's example when Widowmaker returned fire. To prevent the car from being damaged, D. Va stepped into Widowmaker's line of fire and activated the Defense Matrix.

" _Whew!_ _That was close,_ " Hal-Fred sighed in relief. " _I thought my car would be damaged for sure._ "

A menacing laugh broke out, causing Soldier: 76 to stand up as Reaper appeared right in front of him. The two didn't say a word as they pointed their guns at one another.

" _A figure clad in black, wearing a skull-faced mask, wielding two shotguns,_ " Soldier: 76 said staring intensely behind his visor. " _You must be Reaper._ "

In response, Reaper chuckled. " ** _It's been awhile…Jack._** "

Surprised by this remark, Soldier: 76 asked, " _I don't respond to that name anymore._ "

" ** _Is that so?_** " Reaper said. " ** _What should I call you now?_** "

" _I'm not sure how we're acquainted, but I go by Soldier: 76 these days_ _._ "

" ** _So bland,_** " Reaper responded. " ** _Then again, you never were the creative type._** "

As Reaper was about to fire his shotguns Winston threw a device on the ground which created a shield around him, Tracer, Soldier: 76, D. Va, and the limo. So when Reaper's guns fired, they were absorbed into the shield.

"What's that thing?" Tracer asked, looking down at the device.

"A Barrier Projector," Winston explained. "Unfortunately, it won't last long."

" _So let's get moving!_ " Soldier: 76 ordered. " _Mister Glitchbot, can you start the car?_ "

" _Is that a rhetorical question?_ " Hal-Fred said sarcastically.

" _What's wrong with it?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

"We think Sombra hacked into the car somehow," Tracer answered.

" _Then we'll have to move it manually,_ " Soldier: 76 looked at the Barrier Projector and noticed it was starting to disperse. " _D. Va, can your mech lift cars?_ "

" _It doesn't have working hands, but I'll try,_ " D. Va replied.

"Allow me," Winston said, gripping the bottom of the car with both hands. To everyone's surprise, he lifted the limo up above his head.

" _Do you need any help?_ " D. Va said, thrusting the arms of her MEKA forward.

"No, I've got this," Winston insisted. "Guess those Weightlifting Classes with Reinhardt really paid off."

As he spoke, Winston's knees started to shake. So before Winston lost his grip, D. Va put MEKA's arms beneath the car. Then as she started to take it, the car started to tilt.

"Wait," Winston said. "I have an idea."

Climbing onto MEKA's back, Winston used his long arms to hold the limo while D. Va used the Fusion Cannons as bottom support.

"Got it?" Winston said to D. Va.

" _I think so,_ " D. Va responded.

"Now use MEKA's Boosters to launch us out of this town and into the _Beyond the Moon_ set," Winston nodded toward a salon that was further down the street.

" _I'll try…but the combination of my weight, yours, and the car's will put a lot of strain on MEKA,_ " D. Va said after some hesitation.

It was then that the Barrier Projector dispersed completely, forcing Soldier: 76 and Tracer to fire consecutively at Reaper who evaded their shots quite easily.

" _Cover for them,_ " Soldier: 76 said to Tracer while D. Va turned MEKA to face the salon. " _I'll take care of this joker._ "

"Right," Tracer said, and followed after MEKA once D. Va activated the Boosters.

As she had predicted, MEKA didn't get very far before the Boosters shorted out forcing D. Va to trek toward the salon with Tracer following at her heels. Meanwhile, Widowmaker jumped from roof to roof throwing Venom Mines along the path. Using Recall, Tracer was able to catch the Venom Mines before they exploded and tossed them into empty barrels along the street.

"You're starting to annoy me," Widowmaker said aiming the Sniper Rifle downward. "Like a fly buzzing around my ear."

"You may try, but you'll never shoot me!" Tracer remarked.

"I wasn't aiming for you," Widowmaker said snidely.

Looking at the angle of Widowmaker's Sniper Rifle, she saw that it was aiming at Winston's forehead. Before Widowmaker had the chance to fire, Tracer fired the Pulse Pistols in her direction. Among the rapid volley of energy blasts, one managed to hit Widowmaker's hand forcing her to drop the rifle. Hissing loudly, she vanished once again carrying the Sniper Rifle with her.

"Humph! What a sore loser," Tracer noticed and turned to her comrades. "All right, let's move forward! Hal-Fred's got a shooting schedule to meet!"

While Winston nodded, D. Va moved MEKA past the salon into the _Beyond the Moon_ set. Meanwhile, Soldier: 76 and Reaper were at a stalemate. They were both panting heavily, and their weapons were spent.

" ** _I hunger,_** " Reaper muttered, and appeared right in front of Soldier: 76.

Before Soldier: 76 could move, Reaper grabbed his left arm as a dark mist surrounded them both.

" _What're you—argh!_ " Soldier: 76 yelled, feeling a sudden pain in his arm.

" ** _Serves you right, Jack, after what you've done!_** " Reaper said gladly.

" _I don't…understand…_ " Soldier: 76 responded, suddenly feeling weaker.

" ** _Are you that dense? I am the angel of death, and your soul is mine!_** "

"Not so fast!"

A shot rang out, causing Reaper to fall to the ground. The dark mist dissipated, and Soldier: 76 no longer felt weak. His arm still hurt, but he was able to still hold his Pulse Rifle as he looked to his right and saw McCree standing there with his Peacekeeper revolver emitting a trail of smoke after being fired.

" _When did you get here?_ " Soldier: 76 demanded.

"Just now," McCree answered bluntly as he walked up to Reaper's body. "So I take it this is Reaper?"

" _I'm afraid so,_ " Soldier: 76 said, feeling the pain in his arm resurge.

"Strange-looking fella," McCree noted. "Want me to take him into custody?"

Soldier: 76 nodded, and just as McCree kneeled down with a pair of handcuffs Reaper turned into black smoke that floated away.

"What the?" McCree said watching the trail of smoke. "How's he able to do that?"

" _There are a lot of mysteries surrounding that guy,_ " Soldier: 76 responded. " _And I want them answered soon!_ "

"Why?"

" _I'll explain later. Just check on the kids for me, will you?_ "

"Where'd they go?"

" _Into the set beyond this fake town._ "

"Sure thing!"

" _And if you encounter Sniper fire along the way, don't hesitate to shoot._ "

"Got it!"

As McCree followed the giant footprints left by MEKA, Soldier: 76 stumbled toward a building. Taking a seat on the wooden walkway, he put the Pulse Rifle down and tediously removed his left glove followed by a slow but painful unrolling of his sleeve. Underneath, the skin of his left arm was very pale and partially shriveled.

" _Just like the bodies at Savior Hospital,_ " Soldier: 76 said to himself. " _This isn't over, Reaper. Our private war has just begun!_ "

To be continued…


	71. Stage 71: In Need of Healing!

Stage 71: In Need of Healing!

Though Tracer, D. Va, and Winston managed to safely bring Hal-Fred Glitchbot to his trailer he left without paying them due to the 'lousy service' they provided. But a few days later, Overwatch tracked him down and forced Hal-Fred to pay two thousand dollars. While half of it went into Overwatch's school funds, the other was paid to the UN for his cooperation in telling the media that Winston, Soldier: 76 and McCree had saved him from Talon's assassination attempt without mentioning either Tracer or D. Va.

"I don't get it," Tracer said looking at the newspaper. "Why was my name cut out when I was clearly involved?"

" _It's for your own protection,_ " Soldier: 76 explained, with his left arm wrapped in thick bandages. " _Since you and D. Va aren't official Overwatch agents, your actions might be seen by the public as 'reckless' which will make our agency look bad._ "

"But you encourage us to do this kind of stuff," D. Va argued. "If we hadn't interfered, Hal-Fred would be—

" _Dead, I know,_ " Soldier: 76 interrupted. " _It's not that the UN doesn't appreciate what you three have done, but with anti-Omnic feelings on the rise lots of people aren't too happy. Plus, the Museum incident has made folks suspicious about our agency and the UN._ "

"Maybe if the UN had told the truth instead of covering it up, they're wouldn't be so much mistrust," Winston said calmly eating a banana.

" _You of all people should know that some truths have to be kept secret in order to prevent things like mass hysteria and—_

Soldier: 76 stopped as his left arm started hurting again.

"Is something wrong?" Tracer asked noticing Soldier: 76 clenching his left arm.

" _I'm fine,_ " Soldier: 76 insisted. " _My arm's just a little sore, is all._ "

"You're twitching really badly," D. Va noticed. "Have you thought about calling Mercy?"

" _She's planning to come here next week,_ " Soldier: 76 said. " _So I'm going to hold out until then._ "

"Are you sure about that?" Winston glanced at the bandages. "If you need to go to a hospital—

" _They won't know what to do with this,_ " Soldier: 76 muttered out loud.

When he realized this, Soldier: 76 saw everyone looking at him.

" _There's no need to worry about me,_ " Soldier: 76 claimed. " _I've got this under control._ "

###

A couple days later, the doorbell rang. Surprised, Soldier: 76 got up from the couch in the living room and answered it.

"Angela!" Soldier: 76 exclaimed, recognizing Mercy in her civilian clothes which included an orange V-neck top, tan slacks, and brown clogs.

In one hand she carried a white briefcase and in the other a map of Los Angeles.

"I came as quickly as I could," Mercy said, noticing Soldier: 76's bandaged arm. "Someone told me you passed out the day before yesterday and woke up several hours later."

"It's not that serious," Soldier: 76 insisted.

"Your arm is shaking."

Looking down, Soldier: 76 saw his bandaged arm twitching uncontrollably. He put his other hand on it.

"Are the kids around?" Mercy asked, looking behind Soldier: 76.

"They're off at the beach," Soldier: 76 answered.

"Good," Mercy said walking past Soldier: 76. "Give me a few minutes to assemble my staff, and I'll take a look at you."

Without saying anything, Soldier: 76 watched as Mercy took several metal parts out of her briefcase and assembled them into the Caduceus Staff. Once this was done, Mercy told Soldier: 76 to remove the bandages from his arm. Reluctantly, Soldier: 76 did. Upon seeing his withered arm, Mercy looked horror-stricken.

"Who did this to you?" Mercy said after some hesitation.

"Reaper," Soldier: 76 responded. "He and Widowmaker were trying to assassinate Hal-Fred Glitchbot, the Omnic director, but the kids interfered. They had been touring Goldshire Studios when the assassination attempt occurred, and decided to escort him to his trailer."

"Did they get hurt?"

"No, and thank God for that. I heard there was a disturbance going on, and decided to check it out. When I got there, the kids were cornered by Widowmaker. After giving them support fire, Reaper showed up."

"So you took him on?"

Soldier: 76 nodded. "During our battle, he touched me and a black mist surrounded us. I started to feel weaker and a strong pain was surging in this arm. Fortunately, McCree showed up and shot Reaper."

"Was he dead?"

"I don't think so. His body evaporated into smoke which drifted away in an unusual pattern, as if it were alive _._ "

"Just as I thought," Mercy said to herself.

"Hmm?"

"Oh, I was just thinking out loud."

"Do you think my arm can be properly healed?"

"Let's see." Mercy waved the Caduceus Staff over Soldier: 76's arm which produced a three-dimensional image of cells that looked black and sickly. "Your arm cells have deteriorated significantly, but they're not dead. I could probably heal it back to normal, but…

"What?"

"I'm not sure if it'll stay that way or deteriorate like the bodies at Savior Hospital."

"Then let's test it."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

So Mercy pointed the Caduceus Staff at Soldier: 76's arm and a stream of yellow energy flooded from it. Soldier: 76 watched in amazement as his arm became less withered and the skin returned to a more normal color. Then Mercy turned off the Caduceus Staff and waited. For several minutes, the arm didn't change.

"Seems all right," Mercy said confidently, looking at another three-dimensional image of the arm's cells. "Most of the deteriorated cells have been restored, though some are still recovering. As a result, your arm will be a little stiff from now on."

"For how long?"

"It's hard to say since I've never dealt with this kind of power."

"Power? Then it's not a disease?"

Looking surprised, Mercy quickly composed herself. "There is nothing natural in this world that would cause a person to die in a matter of minutes. Now since your arm looked similar to the bodies at Savior Hospital and Reaper was involved in both incidents, I would assume he was the culprit."

"Ms. Adawe was able to find eyewitness testimony of Reaper being near the people who died under mysterious circumstances."

"Then that confirms this is not a new epidemic but the work of a biological terrorist who can make people's cells decay by merely touching them."

"Or it could be the mist that came from his body," Soldier: 76 suggested. "The pain escalated when the mist appeared then when it went away I felt better _._ "

"Yes, that is possible."

"Is something bothering you, Angela? You look distressed."

"I'm sorry, Jack," Mercy said wiping her eyes. "This Reaper stuff seems to bring out the worse in me."

"Don't feel bad. We've never had a threat like this before, but I plan to leave no stone unturned until I know what it is we're dealing with."

"Even if it comes at a cost?"

"What do you mean? Is there something you know?"

"No, I just…have a feeling the answers you seek will be more harmful than good."

"If that happens, I'll remedy the pain."

"Hey, that's my line!"

The two laughed just as the front door opened. Immediately, Soldier: 76 put his mask back on while Mercy put away the Caduceus Staff.

"We're home!" Tracer said, stepping into the foyer. She was wearing an orange bikini top and bottom with matching sunglasses and sandals.

"You don't have to announce us," D. Va said following Tracer in. Her outfit consisted of a pink two-piece bathing suit with the white rabbit logo.

"Well, hello Mercy," Winston noticed. He was topless but wore white swim trunks and shoes. "This is an unexpected surprise."

Seeing Mercy, D. Va gasped while Tracer's eyes widened.

"You came much sooner than I expected," Tracer smiled. "How is our patient doing?"

"Much better," Mercy replied. "I fixed him up good as new."

Confused, Soldier: 76 pointed from Tracer to Mercy. " _So you were the one who—_

"We'll talk later," Mercy interrupted. "For now, let's start making dinner. I imagine these children must be famished after a long day of swimming."

"Yes, actually," Tracer responded.

"What did you have in mind?" D. Va wondered.

Mercy thought for a moment and then said, "I was thinking of making Quiche, which is like a pie but with meat cheese and vegetables inside."

"Sounds good," Winston adjusted his glasses. "I'd like bananas in mine."

"And English cheddar for me," Tracer spoke up.

D. Va huffed. "I'm fine with anything so long as it's spicy."

"I see. Then I'll make individual Quiches for everyone. Would you mind helping me in the kitchen, Jack?"

" _Uh, no, not at all,_ " Soldier: 76 shook his head, looking embarrassed.

 _He must be better_ , Tracer thought as the two left the foyer. _Glad I called Mercy over here now instead of waiting till next week. Who knows what might've happened then._

To be continued…


	72. Stage 72: New Roommate!

Stage 72: New Roommate!

As Summer Break came to a close, Winston had to leave for Watchpoint: Gibraltar where Overwatch had assigned him to keep track of orbital launches and prevent outside interference from the likes of Talon. While everyone was happy for him, Tracer was doubtful. Though her memories of the Chronal Accelerator malfunction were fuzzy, she remembered seeing an older version of Winston and he was stationed in Watchpoint: Gibraltar. But what bothered Tracer the most was the things he said, about Overwatch being disbanded by the UN because of worldwide protests and their involvement in something called Blackwatch.

 _I've got to find out what Blackwatch is_ , Tracer thought on the train to Numbani with D. Va sleeping next to her. _Then maybe I can find a way to prevent that future from happening altogether._

Thoughts like this kept Tracer awake until they finally got to the station. After waking D. Va up, the two of them got off the train and took a hovering bus to Overwatch High. Upon arriving there, they found a few students around the campus with their parents.

"This year will be different," D. Va declared. "I'm going to start a Video Gamers Club to make friends, and you're going to help me!"

"What?" Tracer exclaimed. "But I've never played video games."

"You don't have to play anything," D. Va assured. "I just need someone to act as Vice President until we get more members."

"Why?"

"Because at least two people need to sign up as Officers in order for the club to be approved." D. Va then reached into her bag and pulled out a sheet of paper. "It says so on this Club Approval Form."

For a few minutes, Tracer skimmed through the words on the form. On the back, D. Va had signed her name next to the 'Club President' label with three empty spaces for 'Vice President' 'Treasurer' and 'Secretary'.

"Well," Tracer said after a pause. "As long as I don't have to play video games, I'll do it."

"Great!" D. Va smiled. "Glad to have you on board!"

Smiling back, Tracer took out a pen from her backpack and signed the form. After that, the two made their way to the girls' dormitory to get checked in. There, Ana was directing students and their parents to the right places while holding a holographic clipboard in her hand.

"Oi!" Tracer shouted, getting Ana's attention. "How's a going, Ana?"

"Great," Ana grumbled. "Do you have a room reserved?"

"Yes, I submitted a request to share a suite with Pharah and Zarya," Tracer answered.

Ana scanned several names on her holographic clipboard and shook her head. "I'm afraid you'll have to change your request."

Tracer blinked. "Why's that?"

"Pharah is currently in America doing an internship at Watchpoint: Grand Mesa with Helix Security International. I take it she didn't tell you."

"No," Tracer shook her head. "What about Zarya?"

"She's still around," Ana replied.

"Then can I just share a room with her?"

"You can, but we do have two suites available."

"Any claims on them yet?"

"D. Va and Mei have requested one, but they need a third roommate. The other is claimed by Zarya and she needs two roommates."

"I'll take Zarya's offer, then."

"But there's still an empty space. Unless you have someone else in mind, I'll have to deny Zarya's claim and give the suite to other students."

Hearing this, Tracer looked around and spotted Symmetra standing near the back. Wearing her hair in a long dark braid, she had on a light blue shirt with matching silk gloves and a loose skirt that flapped about her ankles which were covered by brown sandals. As Tracer starred longer, an idea came to her head. In a flash, she Blinked over to Symmetra who was naturally startled.

"Where did you come from?" Symmetra demanded, putting a hand on her chest.

"From that way," Tracer responded, sticking her thumb back at Ana. "I was wondering if you wanted to be my roommate."

Symmetra seemed hesitant. "With you?"

"No, Zarya and I," Tracer explained. "We were originally going to share a suite with Pharah, but she's away on an internship."

"So you want me to take her place?"

"Precisely!"

After a few moments, Symmetra nodded. "Well, I suppose I could."

"Jolly good!" Tracer took ahold of Symmetra's hand and took her over to Ana.

###

Once the three were settled into their rooms, Tracer Zarya and Symmetra sat in the living-room area on separate cushions.

"Was there a reason you called us out here?" Symmetra asked.

"I just wanted to have a group-session where we discuss things like what we did over the summer, our favorite hobbies, and so forth," Tracer said. "Just to get to know each other since we'll be living together."

"But we're already familiar with one another," Zarya pointed out. "I shared a suite with Symmetra and Pharah before you started attending here."

"Oh, then we'll just discuss some casual stuff," Tracer said and looked at Symmetra. "What'd you do over Summer Break?"

"Visited my family, in Utopaea," Symmetra answered.

"I've heard the architecture there is beautiful," Tracer said. "And it's all made from Hard Light technology, right?"

"Correct," Symmetra affirmed.

"And you went to school that taught Hard Light Technology," Zarya added.

"Yes, the Nari School of Architecture," said Symmetra as she nodded.

"Funny story, actually," Tracer spoke up. "I looked up the Nari School out of curiosity, but there was no information about it. So I checked several Indian websites and translated numerous pages, yet I still found nothing."

"Odd," Zarya said as she put her weights down.

"It's not an officially listed school," Symmetra explained. "The Vishkar Corporation did it to protect its students."

"Ah, I see," Tracer responded. Then she looked at Zarya and asked, "How was your summer?"

"Busy," Zarya stated. "Did internship with Volskaya Industries."

Tracer's eyes widened. "Aren't they that Russian company who built the giant mechs?"

" _Da_ (Yes)," Zarya confirmed. "The Svyatogor were our saviors during the Omnic Crisis, before Overwatch came along."

"Svyatogor?" Tracer said in confusion.

"That's what the mechs are officially called," Symmetra said as she shuttered a little. "Those things used to scare me as a kid."

"I thought they were magnificent," Zarya argued. "In fact, my gun is modeled after guns the Svyatogor use."

"Huh, that makes a lot of sense." Tracer briefly glanced at the clock. "The Class Sorting should be starting soon."

"Attendance is optional for upperclassmen," Symmetra said. "Including Sophomores like yourself."

"Well, that's good," Tracer said feeling relieved. "Means I don't have to Blink to get there."

"Blink?" Symmetra's eyebrow raised.

"You'll get it soon enough," Zarya said, patting Symmetra lightly on the back.

###

Later that night, Tracer heard strange noises outside her bedroom. Waking up, she realized they were voices. Unfortunately, the words were unfamiliar and spoken quickly. Then after a time there was silence.

To be continued…


	73. Stage 73: Another Semester!

Stage 73: Another Semester!

"Is something wrong, Tracer?" Zarya asked the following morning. "You look tired."

In response, Tracer yawned. "I had a hard time falling asleep."

"Why?"

"Because I was pondering over some voices I heard last night."

"Where were they coming from?"

"Outside my bedroom door, though it sounded further than that."

"Like it was in another room?"

"Yes, how did you—

"It happened last time I was roommates with Symmetra."

"Then she—

"Caused the voices? I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I never asked Symmetra, though I don't think she would tell me."

"Yeah, she's not very talkative."

After Tracer spoke, the bell rang for first period forcing her to Blink from the table.

###

The first class was Math with Liao, which was made difficult by Tracer's tiredness. Then Soldier: 76's Weapons 201 class wasn't any better since it was mostly focused on learning about different kinds of weapons rather than making them. Nevertheless, Tracer decided not to complain. After that was Property Damage with Torbjörn who brought up the Heritage Museum incident as an example of what _not_ to do when handling a situation making Tracer uncomfortable. Sensing that discomfort, Torbjörn asked Tracer to see him in his office after class. When the bell rang for lunch, Tracer reluctantly followed Torbjörn to a building with a steel rhino statue in front and into a workshop filled with metal parts and broken machines.

"This is your office?" Tracer asked looking around in confusion.

"Yes," Torbjörn answered bluntly. "There's work to be done constantly around here. It keeps me focused and calm under pressure."

"Am I pressuring you?"

"Not at all, but your frown concerned me. So what's on your mind?"

After taking a deep breath, Tracer said, "The way you talked about the Heritage Museum incident seemed harsh, like Winston was to blame for it."

"That's because he was," Torbjörn said calmly. "A true Hero should never have to endanger innocent lives and destroy priceless artifacts while fighting the enemy."

"But it wasn't his fault," Tracer argued. "I was there too."

"Then you're no better off than he."

"How can you say that? We saved those kids and stopped Talon from stealing the Doomfist Gauntlet! Shouldn't the results matter more than the consequences?"

"Not in this world," Torbjörn shook his head and collected some scraps of metal from nearby tables. "Back then, all we had to worry about were the Omnics. Now, we're more civilized and with that comes certain limitations. Heroes can no longer just swing their weapons around and beat the bad guy up. They have to be considerate of the people around them, so they're not in harm's way when things get inevitably destroyed. But even then, there's still a price to pay as someone will try to sue you for damage. That's what Hal-Fred Glitchbot threatened to do if we didn't pay him for his silence on your involvement with the Goldshire Studios attack."

"D. Va was involved as well, so why aren't you lecturing her?"

"She's not in any of my classes."

"Well, maybe you should because by your logic neither of us should be Heroes."

"I'm not saying that!" Torbjörn snapped, causing him to drop the metal scraps. "Just...try not to be so reckless in the future."

Instead of answering, Tracer Blinked away and went straight to Soldier: 76.

###

" _I can't let you drop out of Property Damage,_ " Soldier: 76 said after Tracer told him about her conversation with Torbjörn.

"Why not?" Tracer demanded.

" _It's only the first day of school, which doesn't seem fair to Torbjörn._ "

"He insulted me and Winston!"

" _Sounds like you're taking his words too personally._ "

"Even so, that doesn't excuse him for judging our actions when he wasn't even there!"

" _That may be true, but I've known Torbjörn for a while. He's a brutally honest man, and wants to help others improve themselves though his way of doing it is questionable._ "

"I'll say," Tracer huffed. "So what should I do?"

" _Give it a week, and if you still feel this way then I'll reconsider your request._ "

"Fine," Tracer said reluctantly and Blinked out.

###

She avoided McCree after lunch on her way to Survival 101 which was taught by Ana. To Tracer's surprise, she saw Mei waving to her in the classroom while Azúcar sat in the back looking bored.

 _She doesn't look too happy to be here_ , Tracer thought as she looked at Azúcar. _I wonder why._

"Tracer! Over here," Mei said patting the seat next to her. "Come sit next to me."

"Okay," Tracer said and Blinked one last time before the Chronal Accelerator's light went out.

"Is something wrong with that thing?" Mei asked pointing to the Chronal Accelerator.

"The battery's recharging," Tracer said. "Nothing to worry about."

"Oh," Mei responded. "What's it for?"

Before Tracer could say anything, Ana stepped into the classroom.

"All right, class, settle down!" Ana said and pressed a few buttons on the podium's holographic keyboard.

The lights turned off and the name of the class appeared in a black-and-white title card.

"Welcome to Survival 101," Ana announced. "Here, you will learn to cope with various environments and use them to your advantage. This is an essential course for Defense Class students and optional for others. We'll be studying different techniques and tools for surviving out in the wilderness as well as taking various field trips."

"What kind?" Azúcar asked.

"Anything from camping in the woods to climbing the slopes of a mountain," Ana responded. "So prepare yourselves accordingly for these trips. Anyone caught unprepared will be forced to stay at school and do a make-up assignment. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Azúcar nodded.

"Good, now to start things off—

From there, Ana went into a lecture on the basic necessities to surviving any environment using her own experiences from the Omnic Crisis as comparison. It was at this moment that Tracer's mind wondered back to the time she found herself in a ditch with gunfire and bombs going off overhead. Here, she had met a younger version of Ana before being thrust back into the time-stream. Shaking her head, Tracer noticed Ana was staring and went back to taking notes.

To be continued…


	74. Stage 74: Fighting Spirit!

Stage 74: Fighting Spirit!

Once Survival 101 was done, Tracer attended Worldwide Politics right after. Also taught by Ana, this one was similar to Hero Ethics only it focused more on the state of affairs around the world in general rather than Hero-related incidents. Then the last class of the day was Combat Training 201 with Reinhardt back to his usual self.

"Welcome back!" Reinhardt said enthusiastically. "In this course, you will be furthering the techniques you've learned and employ them to different situations. Apart from spending more time in the labyrinth downstairs, we'll continue sparring against each other only this time with weapons. At the end of the year, you'll each spar with me."

"In your armor or without?" D. Va asked, though she felt judgmental gazes upon her.

"Both," Reinhardt answered without the slightest hint of irritation on his face this time. "So train hard and be prepared for anything. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the class said.

"Now let's refresh your previous skills with a good old-fashioned tournament," Reinhardt said as he picked up a holographic clipboard. "Those who scored the lowest on last Semester's Final will go first, followed by the next highest and so forth. Like before, the winner will get to leave class early. I don't want any accidents like last time, and if any of you are injured Brigitte will alert Mercy right away."

" _Ja_ (Yes)," Brigitte said, appearing from behind Reinhardt.

In agreement, Reinhardt nodded and read several names out loud. These students then stepped into the inner circle of the basketball court while Brigitte activated the shield over them. It took awhile before Tracer and D. Va were called since they scored second and third place on the Final respectfully. Stepping into the circle, the two pulled out their weapons and waited for the other to move.

"Kinda wish Lúcio was here," D. Va said. "But you'll do."

"Aw, that's sweet," Tracer replied. "I think you have a crush on him."

D. Va's cheeks suddenly turned red. "No, that's not it! I just really like his music."

"You sure?"

"Let's just get this battle over with!"

"Sure thing, luv!"

Tracer Blinked behind D. Va and placed a Pulse Bomb at her feet. D. Va quickly stepped out of the way as the bomb went off, and fired her Light Gun in Tracer's direction. Fortunately, Tracer was able to dodge D. Va's shots and returned fire with the Pulse Pistols. D. Va was so overwhelmed by the barrage of energy bullets that she rolled on the ground and shot Tracer in the side. Feeling hurt, Tracer Recalled to before the Light Gun's energy blast hit her and got out of the way just in time.

"Stop moving!" D. Va said out of frustration. "The only reason I can't hit you is because of that Chrono thing on your chest. Without it, we would be on equal ground."

"Do I sense surrender in your voice?" Reinhardt teased. "Where's that fighting spirit from last Semester, D. Va?"

"Right here," D. Va said, and fired in the direction of Tracer's chest.

Fearing the Chronal Accelerator would be damaged, Tracer Recalled once more and threw a Pulse Bomb toward D. Va. In turn, D. Va shot the Pulse Bomb which sent both of them flying into the shield which withstood against their weight.

"That's enough!" Reinhardt declared as the two girls slid down to the floor. "We'll call this a draw."

While Brigitte called Mercy on a wristwatch, Genji picked D. Va and Tracer up propping them against a nearby wall. When Mercy arrived, she examined the two girls and gave them a light dose of energy from her Caduceus Staff.

"You took Combat Training 101 last Semester?" Tracer said in disbelief upon recovery.

" _Yes,_ " Genji said. " _But at a different time than you._ "

"That makes sense," Tracer muttered, touching the back of her head. "I should really get better at handling those bombs. If Junkrat were still around—

"He would probably tell you to 'bugger off' or something," D. Va interrupted with her arms folded. "I'm glad he's gone."

" _I didn't like him either, but there was still a chance for him to change,_ " Genji replied.

"Just because you changed doesn't mean everyone can," D. Va pointed out.

"Genji!" Reinhardt shouted. "Get over here! You'll be sparring with Azúcar."

" _Coming!_ " Genji said and turned to Mercy. " _Are you planning to stay here?_ "

"It wouldn't hurt," Mercy said as she turned off the Caduceus Staff. "I wish you luck, Genji."

" _Thank you, Doctor Ziegler,_ " Genji said under his breath as he entered the circle with Azúcar looking smug.

"You wouldn't believe what I learned about you, Sparrow," Azúcar stated.

Genji flinched. " _I am at peace with who I was. Your threat does not concern me._ "

"Is that so? Mind if I tell the whole class, then?"

In a flash, Genji withdrew his sword and rushed at Azúcar. But in a split second, she vanished completely causing Genji to swing at air.

" _Where did you go?_ " Genji demanded. " _Show yourself!_ "

"I'm right here," Azúcar said, reappearing behind Genji with her Machine Pistol out.

She fired several bullets at Genji who was able to block every single one with his sword.

" _Thought you could catch me off-guard?_ " Genji said as his blade sizzled from the bullets' impact. " _That disappearing act of yours is nothing more than a form of camouflage which makes you invisible for short periods of time._ "

"Think you've got me figured out?" Azúcar said as she disappeared once more. "I won't go down so easily, Sparrow."

" _Neither will I,_ " Genji kept his sword out and watched for any sign of movement.

Instead of appearing behind him, Azúcar appeared in front of Genji with her gun pointed at his forehead forcing him to not move his sword.

"How about now?" Azúcar asked mockingly. "Move one inch, and I'll shoot."

" _Nice try,_ " Genji said, using one of his feet to kick Azúcar away from him. " _But I'm not as weak as you think._ "

As Genji's sword glowed green, Tracer realized he was preparing to use his Ultimate Move.

"Are you going to use the famous Dragonblade I've heard so much about?" Azúcar said reloading her Machine Pistol. "I bet my bullets are faster."

" _We shall see,_ " Genji said as he swung his sword in front of him while shouting, " _Ryuujin no ken wo kurae!_ "

As the green Dragon showed itself, Reinhardt told Brigitte to maximize the shield's capacity. While she was doing this, the green Dragon flew straight toward Azúcar just as she fired her Machine Pistol. To her surprise, the green Dragon melted the bullets midair. Then as the green Dragon knocked Azúcar backwards, the shield collapsed. Fearing the students' safety, Mercy took out a small sidearm and fired several rounds at the green Dragon. In a matter of seconds, the green Dragon dissipated, leaving Azúcar collapsed on the floor while Genji stood with his sword sheathed looking triumphant.

"Why did you do that, Genji?" Mercy demanded as she approached Azúcar. "You could have killed this girl."

Shocked, Genji turned away. " _I had no intention to hurt her. It was an accident._ "

"I'll say," Reinhardt said with a slight frown.

"Where does it hurt?" Mercy said to Azúcar as she pointed the Caduceus Staff at her.

"I'm fine," Azúcar assured as she started to get up but slipped.

" _My apologies,_ " Genji said holding out his hand to Azúcar. " _I let myself get carried away._ "

"We all make mistakes, _amigo_ (friend)," Azúcar said as she took Genji's hand. "You won fair and square."

" _If you say so,_ " Genji replied, helping Azúcar to her feet.

"Since you're the winner of this tournament, Genji, why don't you escort the young lady to Mercy's office?" Reinhardt suggested.

"There's no need to fuss over me," Azúcar insisted. "I just fell down is all."

"But you might have a concussion," Mercy said. "And I don't want to take up Reinhardt's teaching time too much."

" _She's right,_ " Genji agreed. " _It is better to be safe than sorry._ "

Heaving a deep sigh, Azúcar reluctantly followed Mercy toward the door. She tripped a little, causing Genji to catch her mid-fall. Holding onto his arm, Azúcar leaned on Genji as they left the gymnasium with Mercy leading the way.

"Did you see that smirk on her face?" D. Va said to Tracer. "I think Azúcar allowed herself to get hit by the Dragonblade on purpose."

"But why?" Tracer wondered.

"To make Genji look bad, I suppose," D. Va guessed. "He never uses his Ultimate Move unless there's no other choice."

"That's a good point. So either Azúcar was _that_ much of a threat to him—

"Or she taunted him so much that he lost control."

"Maybe, but but as far as I know Genji hasn't done anything bad to Azúcar. So why would she go through all this effort to humiliate him?"

"You're thinking too much about it."

To be continued…


	75. Stage 75: Fun and Games!

Stage 75: Fun and Games!

With the first week of class over, Tracer was now forced to concentrate on the Video Gamers Club she had joined to help D. Va. Together they sat in a large classroom which had been reserved for them with Ana's approval, and waited for others to show up.

"Do you think anyone saw the posters?" Tracer wondered.

"Of course they did!" D. Va said assuredly. "My signature bunny logo is hard to miss."

"So what's up with that?" Tracer asked.

"It's my self-made brand," D. Va explained. "I modeled it after MEKA, who kind of looks like a rabbit if you stare hard enough. Then after that, I started putting it on my gaming videos which people seemed to really like. So I put the logo on various items to sell to my fans, which gave me enough money to afford entrance to a famous _StarCraft_ tournament that was being held in Seoul."

"Oh, I heard about that."

The girls turned and saw Lúcio standing at the entrance to the classroom. He was wearing a green T-shirt with his frog logo on it, khaki shorts, and leather sandals.

When he noticed their bewildered looks, Lúcio sheepishly grinned. "Uh, sorry to interrupt."

"You're not interrupting anything," Tracer said assuredly. "D. Va was just telling me about her rabbit-shaped logo."

"Is that so?" Lúcio said, looking interested. "I've seen it somewhere before."

"Perhaps in an article about the _StarCraft_ tournament?" D. Va suggested nervously.

Lúcio snapped his finger. "Bingo! I remember seeing a picture of the champion who was wearing a jacket with the same symbol on it."

"That was me," D. Va said as her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink.

"No way!" Lúcio's eyes widened. "I'm surprised I didn't recognize you."

"My hair was shorter back then, and I used to wear boyish clothes to make myself feel more confident among gamers."

"But you look fine," Lúcio said eyeing D. Va from her pink T-shirt down to her blue knee-length skirt.

Hearing that, D. Va put her hands to her face and turned away.

Confused, Lúcio tilted his head slightly. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Not at all," Tracer said stepping in front of D. Va. "She's just…happy that someone came to her club."

"Well, I've always been interested in video games and since my last club didn't work out I thought I'd give this a shot," Lúcio said as he scratched the back of his head.

"What was your last club?" Tracer glanced back at D. Va, who was still blushing.

"The Music Club," Lúcio answered. "Reinhardt created it last year for musically inclined students, so I joined. Turned out our tastes didn't match and the people who joined were only interested in me and not the club."

"That sucks," Tracer said sympathetically. "I guess being a famous musician has its downsides."

"I suppose," Lúcio murmured.

As he spoke, the classroom door opened and Azúcar entered.

"Is this the Video Gamers Club?" Azúcar said looking around the room.

"Yeah, come in," Tracer replied, trying to sound polite.

Satisfied, Azúcar walked past Tracer and stood in front of D. Va.

Surprised, D. Va's cheeks returned to their normal color and she instinctively folded her arms. "So what brings you here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Azúcar said sarcastically.

"I didn't know you had an interest in video games."

"They're a hobby of mine."

"Really?"

"Do you doubt me?"

"Maybe."

" _Hello!_ "

"Genji!" Tracer cried as she saw him and Zenyatta come into the classroom. "You made it."

" _I always keep my word,_ " Genji said proudly. " _Plus this is a good opportunity for my Master to learn more about humans._ "

"Master?" Azúcar said raising an eyebrow. "You a slave or something?"

" _It is not that kind of relationship,_ " Zenyatta said floating around Genji. " _He is my pupil._ "

A smile flittered across Azúcar's face. "You're that Omnic from Shambali, right?"

" _Correct,_ " Zenyatta nodded. " _I am here on a mission of sorts, and Genji is my guide._ "

" _You flatter me, Master,_ " Genji said with slight embarrassment in his voice.

"So he's the one that made you a pacifist," Azúcar interjected.

Genji hesitated to answer.

The tension was interrupted by the door being opened. Everyone looked and saw Symmetra standing in the doorway.

"Hey," Tracer said waving to Symmetra. "Are you here to join the Video Gamers Club?"

Reluctantly, Symmetra nodded.

"Then there's no reason to be shy," Lúcio said cheerfully. "We're all friends here."

D. Va and Azúcar briefly glanced at each other before huffing.

" _Excellent!_ " Genji beamed. " _So what games are we going to play?_ "

"I was thinking of starting with this one," D. Va said as she held up a game with several characters crowded around a bold-lettered title that read as _Paladins: Champions of the Realm_. "It's fairly easy to play and is super fun!"

"Sounds good to me," Lúcio nodded approvingly.

While D. Va put the game inside a console next to the holographic projector, Symmetra kept glancing at Lúcio and looking away when he turned toward her.

 _What's that about?_ Tracer wondered as she watched. _I know she doesn't like Lúcio, but there's something else going on and I intend to find out what that is._

"Tracer," D. Va said handing her a controller. "Who will you play as?"

"Um, Ying," Tracer said, selecting a girl wearing a green dress with a mirror floating next to her. "She looks good."

"I'll play as Skye," Azúcar responded, selecting a woman with purple highlights in her hair.

"Nice," Lúcio complimented as he selected a walking tree wielding an axe. "Guess I'll pick Grover."

" _Sha Lin for me,_ " Genji piped as he picked a guy with a bow and arrow. He then turned to Zenyatta. " _Will you be playing with us, Master?_ "

" _I will observe for now,_ " Zenyatta replied. " _Then maybe I'll join later._ "

"Same," Symmetra added.

"Fine," D. Va sighed as she picked up a fifth controller. "I'll be Ruckus."

"He pilots a robot, just like you," Tracer observed, seeing D. Va select a little goblin who was inside a large mech.

"That's why I always chose him," D. Va said. "Now do we want to do a Payload map or a Survival map?"

Everyone agreed on Payload because that was what they were most familiar with. Then after selecting the Hidden Temple map, the five waited for the countdown to reach zero before playing.

To be continued…


	76. Stage 76: Viruses and Satellites!

Stage 76: Viruses and Satellites!

After playing several rounds of _Paladins_ , the group decided to break for snacks.

"I hope you pay me back for this," Tracer said as she passed out bags of Doritos and cans of Mountain Dew.

"Don't worry about it," D. Va responded cheerfully. "I have plenty of money from selling my merchandise, so I've got this under control."

"Then why didn't you buy the snacks yourself?"

"Because I couldn't find the time."

Tracer made a subtle groan and approached Symmetra. "Want some chips and soda?"

"No thanks," Symmetra declined.

"Suit yourself." Tracer sat down next to Symmetra and opened a can of Mountain Dew. "So what's your deal with Lúcio?"

Symmetra shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I'm not sure I follow."

"You've been staring at him this whole meeting."

"Does it matter if I did?"

"It's kind of creepy."

Instead of answering, Symmetra just got up and left.

Confused, Tracer followed Symmetra to the door just as Genji and Zenyatta were heading there.

"Why are you leaving?" Tracer asked, turning to Genji while Symmetra went out the door.

" _My body's been feeling stiffer than usual today,_ " Genji explained. " _I figure it would be best to head back to the dorm and get some rest._ "

"Well, I hope you feel better," Tracer said nervously.

Genji nodded and walked out with Zenyatta floating behind him.

###

" _Why did you lie to Tracer?_ " Zenyatta said after he and Genji were back in their dorm-room. " _She's your best friend._ "

" _She wouldn't be able to do anything about it,_ " Genji argued.

" _Then maybe you should consult Doctor Ziegler,_ " Zenyatta suggested. " _This stiffness you've been feeling has been going on for several days now._ "

Genji turned away. " _I don't want to._ "

" _Is it because of how she reacted during your match with Azúcar_?" When Genji didn't answer, Zenyatta decided not to pry further.

Silently, they did their evening mediations before turning in. While Genji lay on a flat metal table with various wires attaching themselves to his shoulders and ribs, Zenyatta hovered over a circle of blue light and shut down. When 10 PM rolled around, the dorm-room lights automatically shut down. Sometime later, Zenyatta woke up and hovered into Genji's room.

" _Forgive me,_ " Zenyatta said to himself. " _But I must see what is wrong with you for myself._ "

After linking their minds together, Zenyatta's consciousness drifted into the depths of Genji's programming. He saw a flash of purple, and eliminated it with his Orbs of Destruction. Satisfied, Zenyatta disconnected from Genji and went back to his own room.

###

The next day, Genji's limbs were no longer stiff.

" _Maybe a good night's sleep was all I needed,_ " Genji said to Tracer awkwardly.

She had come over to visit after finishing her homework for that week.

"You seem puzzled," Tracer responded.

" _I am,_ " Genji confirmed. " _My body has never stiffened up before._ "

"It could be getting rusty."

" _That's what I was afraid of, but now that it's gone I'm thinking it was some kind of bug in my system._ "

" _A_ _likely possibility,_ " Zenyatta agreed.

Genji stared at Zenyatta a long time before saying, " _Did you link minds with me?_ "

" _What? No!_ " Zenyatta denied.

" _You're not a good liar,_ " Genji observed. " _Why didn't you wake me?_ "

" _Because I knew you would be against it,_ " Zenyatta confessed.

In response, Genji sighed.

"Did you figure out what caused Genji's stiffness?" Tracer wondered.

" _A small virus which was interfering with the motor controls of Genji's suit._ "

"That sounds troublesome," Tracer said. "Did you get rid of it?"

Zenyatta nodded. " _Indeed, though some of the virus' fragments got on me._ "

" _If that's the case, I should check to make sure you're not infected with the virus,_ " Genji said.

" _That won't be necessary,_ " Zenyatta said dismissively. " _My software is more than capable of erasing whatever is left of the virus, assuming I have it._ "

Outside of Genji and Zenyatta's dorm, Azúcar stood nearby listening to the conversation.

"We shall see, my Omnic friend," Azúcar murmured, and walked away.

Inside, Tracer looked toward the door.

" _Is something wrong?_ " Genji asked.

"Oh, nothing," Tracer said as she shook her head. "I just thought I heard someone."

###

The following Monday, an official announcement was made over the television screens in the school's cafeteria.

" _Attention, students,_ " Soldier: 76 said, looking as intimidating as ever. " _This year, the Payload Competition will take place at Watchpoint: Gibraltar. The objective will be to escort a satellite drone to the launch gantry so that it may be placed into orbit. If you're interested in participating, be sure to plan accordingly._ "

Then after the announcement was finished, Tracer squirmed in her seat.

"This will be the perfect chance to see Winston," Tracer said excitedly. "I haven't heard from him since he transferred to that base."

"He might be busy," D. Va replied. "Plus, the Payload doesn't sound too interesting."

"On the contrary," Azúcar said, appearing before the girls with a taco in her mouth. "There's speculation that the UN is financing this satellite for a secret purpose which may have something to do with Overwatch."

"But how could Overwatch benefit from a satellite?" Tracer said looking confused.

"Think about it," Azúcar said between bites. "Satellites monitor and transmit signals all over the globe. If Overwatch had one of those, there's no telling what kind of power they'll have."

Then as Azúcar turned away, D. Va let out an audible growl and furiously ate her Doritos.

###

In a small room, Winston was devouring a jar of peanut butter when his desktop computer suddenly lit up.

" _Winston,_ " Athena said from the computer. " _You have an incoming call._ "

"From who?" Winston asked.

" _Gabrielle Adawe._ "

Hearing that name, Winston put away the peanut butter jar and straightened his glasses. "Put her through to me."

" _Acknowledged._ " Athena's logo disappeared from the computer screen to be replaced by a woman whose features were hidden in shadow.

" _Hello, Winston,_ " the woman's voice said dryly. " _Is everything going according to schedule?_ "

"Absolutely, Mrs. Adawe," Winston responded. "We just need to run a few tests, and the drone will be ready for launch."

" _Excellent,_ " Gabrielle said as a slight smile crept on her face. " _And if all goes well, I will promote you to satellite monitor._ "

"Very good, Mrs. Adawe," said Winston, trying to hide his happiness. "I won't let you down."

" _Then do your job well,_ " Gabrielle said. " _This satellite is too important for Overwatch to lose._ "

To be continued…


	77. Stage 77: Love and Hate!

Stage 77: Love and Hate!

In preparation for the Payload Competition, Tracer tackled on more homework in order to catch up before she had to leave. Then D. Va informed her that the Video Gamers Club meetings weren't doing too well.

"They're all getting ready for the Payload Competition, so no one shows up," D. Va moaned. "And we haven't even decided on a Fundraiser yet."

"We'll figure that out when we get back," Tracer said. "In the meantime, we need to study our butts off for these upcoming tests."

"Ugh," D. Va grimaced, looking down at the pile of textbooks and paper on the table. "Do we have to?"

"I'm afraid you must," Symmetra said appearing out of her room. She was wearing a blue silken nightgown that went down to her knees, and had draped a blanket over her robot arm.

Surprised, Tracer scowled. "Isn't it kind of silly to hide that thing?"

Symmetra's non-robot fist clenched.

"What's going on?" D. Va asked.

"I caught Symmetra sneaking into the bathroom with her arm exposed," Tracer explained. "Now she keeps it covered in my presence."

"Why?" D. Va looked to Symmetra for an answer.

Instead, Symmetra went back into her room and locked the door.

"Jeez," D. Va said. "I was asking for a simple answer."

"That's how Symmetra is," Tracer sighed. "No wonder people started accusing her of being a traitor when Widowmaker escaped from the Detention Facility."

"Oh, yeah," D. Va remembered. "It would also explain why she doesn't have any friends."

"I'm trying to be her friend, but Symmetra just retreats further and further into her shell."

"Maybe Mercy can give you some suggestions on what to do with Symmetra," D. Va said as she yawned. "Now let's get this studying over with before I pass out."

###

After a quick lunch of fish and chips, Tracer visited Mercy and told her about Symmetra.

"She is…a difficult person to get along with," Mercy said after Tracer finished explaining. "Many students have complained to me about her in the past, and I just tell them to let her be."

"But she's clearly starving for attention," Tracer argued. "I caught her staring at Lúcio for a long time, and she apparently follows him everywhere."

"That's odd," Mercy said scratching the bottom of her chin. "Perhaps she has a crush on him."

"Really?" Tracer pictured the two of them together and shook her head. "Pharah told me she doesn't like Lúcio, so I highly doubt it."

"But love comes in all shapes and sizes," Mercy said. "Sometimes a person's hatred can be a sign of affection for another."

"That doesn't make sense. How can you hate the person you love?"

"It's the only way they can express their feelings, I suppose."

"Was there someone like that in your life?"

Mercy's cheeks suddenly turned bright pink and she looked away.

"I'll take that as a 'yes.'" Tracer looked at the portrait and back at Mercy. "Was it Jack?"

Reluctantly, Mercy shook her head.

"McCree?"

Again, Mercy's head shook.

"Liao?"

"No," Mercy said shyly.

"Gabe?"

This time, Mercy head didn't move.

Tracer's eyes widened. "Don't tell me he was the one who—

"It was a long time ago, and I'm not sure if his feelings were genuine or not," Mercy sputtered. "Please don't tell anyone, okay?"

"I won't," Tracer promised. "So what should I do about Symmetra?"

"Try to be nice to her, and maybe she'll open up," Mercy said as she looked back at Tracer. "If that doesn't work, then I'll speak to her for you."

"Thanks, Mercy," Tracer said hugging her. "You're the best!"

###

"The best, huh?" Mercy said to herself. It was early evening and she was filling out records on her patients before closing the Nurse's Office. "I'm far from that."

" ** _No kidding._** "

Mercy froze and looked around. "Who's there?"

" ** _No one,_** " said the menacing voice as a black cloud appeared in the office. " ** _You're just having a bad dream._** "

As the cloud materialized into Reaper, Mercy picked up her Caduceus Blaster.

"Where did you come from?" Mercy demanded, aiming the Blaster at Reaper's head.

" ** _The ventilation shaft,_** " Reaper said pointing upward. " ** _They're surprisingly easy to navigate for someone like me._** "

"And what exactly are you?"

" ** _A monster,_** " Reaper replied bitterly. " ** _That you created._** "

Mercy's grip on the Blaster faltered. "Gabe?"

" ** _I'm not Gabe,_** " Reaper growled. " ** _He died when I was born._** "

"Then what's your name?"

" ** _Reaper._** "

"You're with Talon," Mercy realized. "Did they force you to join?"

" ** _I don't have time to answer your stupid questions, Angela,_** " Reaper said as he turned his back to Mercy. " ** _Tell Jack that if he doesn't cancel the satellite launch, there will be innocent blood on his hands._** "

"You underestimate our students' capabilities," Mercy responded as she steadied her grip on the Blaster. "They're tougher than they look."

Reaper chuckled in response. " ** _We'll see._** "

Just as Mercy was about to fire the Caduceus Blaster, Reaper disintegrated into black mist and wafted out of the room.

###

" _Did he hurt you?_ " Soldier: 76 asked after Mercy described her encounter with Reaper the following day.

"Fortunately not," Mercy replied. She considered telling Soldier: 76 about Reaper's identity, but decided against it. "He told me to give you a message."

" _Which is?_ "

"To cancel the satellite launch."

" _And if I don't?_ "

"Then innocents will be killed."

" _Was he referring to the students?_ "

"I think so."

Soldier: 76 paced silently around his desk and then said, " _We'll double the security at Watchpoint: Gibraltar. This satellite's too important to turn back on._ "

"Are you sure, Jack?" Mercy said doubtfully. "That satellite may be beneficial to us, but should it fall into Talon hands—

" _Calm down, Angela!_ " Soldier: 76 said gripping Mercy's shoulders. " _We've got everything under control. I'll ask Adawe to send some extra troops, and Winston will be monitoring the students to make sure nothing goes wrong._ "

"If you say so," Mercy said, hugging Soldier: 76's chest tightly. "I'm just really afraid."

Surprised, Soldier: 76 relinquished his grip and pulled Mercy closer to him. The two stood that way for a while until they eventually parted ways.

To be continued…


	78. Stage 78: Blind Date!

Stage 78: Blind Date!

"You want to do what?" Zarya's eyes, which were normally steady, now widened. "This plan sounds crazy."

"It'll totally work," Tracer said excitedly. "All I have to do is convince them that the other is a secret admirer and arranged the date in advance."

"But won't lie come unraveled once they meet?"

"Not necessarily," Tracer replied. "If there are feelings, then they might go along with the lie to prove their affection."

"And you're really sure they like each other?"

"I don't know, but this'll prove whether they do or not."

"This could cost friendship once they realize you set them up."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take in order to learn the truth."

Zarya shrugged. "Suit yourself. I'm going to bed."

"Good night," Tracer replied as Zarya shut the door to her room.

###

"Tracer," Symmetra said the following morning.

"Hmm?" Tracer had a mouthful of toothpaste, wearing an orange _Six-Gun Killer_ T-shirt and matching shorts.

"May I speak to you for a moment?" Symmetra asked.

Tracer nodded, and spit the toothpaste in the sink. Then she rinsed her mouth with water and met Symmetra in the living-room.

"What's up?" Tracer said.

"We might have a burglar," Symmetra said, holding up the paper. "I found this note on the table, and it's not from any of us."

"Oh, someone gave me that," Tracer yawned. "And then I left it out here for you."

Symmetra raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because that's what he told me to do."

"He?"

"The one who wrote the note," Tracer said. "Who else would I be talking about?"

"Was there a reason he couldn't give me the note himself?"

"Too shy, I suppose. He didn't stick around long enough for me to ask him."

"Then you saw what he looked like?"

"Not really," Tracer shook her head. "I felt the note being put into my hand, heard some instructions, and looked around to see no one."

"If you didn't see the person, how do you know it was a 'he'?"

"The voice sounded masculine."

"I see." Symmetra looked down at the note and sighed. "I'm not sure what to do."

"About what?"

"This person invited me to go see the Overwatch Soccer Brawl with him."

"Give it some thought, and then decide if it's worth going."

While Symmetra stared at the note once again, Tracer went into her room and quickly changed to get breakfast.

###

"Yo, Tracy!" Lúcio said, getting Tracer's attention.

"Yeah?" Tracer responded.

They were both in Worldwide Politics, which had just gotten done.

"I got an anonymous fan who wants to go on a date with me," Lúcio scratched his head. "This is the twelfth request I've gotten this semester."

Tracer looked confused. "How many requests did you get before?"

"In a whole year, I'd say over 100."

"Jeez, you're a lady killer."

"But I've rejected all of them."

"Why?"

"Cuz I don't want to go out with someone who's only interested in my music. I'd like a girl who wants me and nothing else."

"Well, maybe this one will be different."

"True. I've been thinking about doing at least one date request, anyway. So I'll think about it."

"Good," Tracer grinned just as the warning bell for sixth period rang. "I've got to get going. See you later!"

"Bye, Tracy!" Lúcio waved.

###

By the time the Overwatch Soccer Brawl rolled around, it was one week before the Payload Competition. As a result, not a lot of people showed up. Tracer was sitting near the top of the bleachers that lined the school soccer field with a pair of binoculars on her lap and an electronic watch around her wrist.

"The game's about to start," Tracer said looking down at the watch. "And they haven't shown up yet."

Thinking her planning was all for naught, Tracer was about to leave when she saw a flash of blue. Looking through the binoculars, she scanned the crowd and saw Symmetra approaching the middle row of bleachers wearing a blue turtleneck and a long gray skirt with matching clogs. She found the two red cushions Tracer had placed earlier and sat on one of them. A few moments later, Lúcio came skating down the bleacher steps in his casual green sports top and brown khakis with a bouquet of roses in one hand.

"You didn't have to go _that_ far, Lúcio," Tracer muttered. "But the roses are a nice touch to the cushions, I suppose."

At that moment, a whistle blew and the players came out onto the field. Students stood up and cheered as the soccer ball was placed down by the referee, who just so happened to be Brigitte. As she blew the whistle again, the players on both teams kicked the ball around while also utilizing their special skills to score points. Meanwhile, Symmetra had noticed Lúcio and looked puzzled. In turn, Lúcio was just as surprised to see her.

"Are you the one who sent me the note?" Symmetra asked bluntly.

"Um, no," Lúcio said looking embarrassed. "But I got a fan letter, unless you're—

"I'm no fan of yours," Symmetra stated folding her arms.

"Then why do you keep attending my concerts?"

"It's for different reasons."

"Like what?"

"If I told you, it would cause trouble for both of us."

"Don't try to scare me, Sym," Lúcio said as he thrust the flowers into Symmetra's face. "If there's some kind of trouble going on, I'll take it on for you. But for now, let's enjoy the game and talk things over later."

Symmetra hesitated for a moment, and sighed. "Very well. Just stay out of my personal space."

Lúcio smirked. "So you do like me?"

"No, that's not what I meant!"

"Whoa, calm down," Lúcio said as he took the cushion next to Symmetra and placed the roses between them. "I was just kidding."

"Well, it's hard to tell whether you're joking or being serious," Symmetra replied.

"Maybe if you got to know me better, this wouldn't be an issue."

Instead of answering, Symmetra huffed and looked back at the soccer field.

To be continued…


	79. Stage 79: The Truth!

Stage 79: The Truth!

"So how did date go?" Zarya asked Tracer after she got back from the game.

Before Tracer could answer, Symmetra suddenly burst into the living room.

"Hey," Tracer said, trying to sound casual.

"You," Symmetra said pointing to the door to her bedroom. "Get in there. Now!"

"Okay," Tracer responded nervously.

She followed Symmetra inside, and discovered a room that was extremely neat with everything in its proper place.

After Symmetra closed the door, she sat down on her bed and gestured toward a white blue-cushioned armchair.

Obediently, Tracer sat in the armchair. As she adjusted herself, Tracer said, "Wow. This is a really comfy chair."

"Did you think you could get away with it?" Symmetra said bluntly. "Setting up a blind date between me and Lúcio?"

"I beg your pardon."

"Don't play dumb with me! The notes were handwritten by you," Symmetra stated. "I checked your signature on the Video Gamers Club application form to be sure."

"How'd you do that? No student can access those forms unless they have special permission."

"Let's just say I had help. So tell me the truth: were you trying to play matchmaker?"

"Not intentionally," Tracer said. "I just wanted to know what your true feelings were toward Lúcio."

Symmetra raised an eyebrow.

"Let me explain," Tracer said clearing her throat. "I told Mercy about your habit of staring at Lúcio, and she thought maybe you had a crush on him. So I thought setting up a blind date would determine if this was true, but obviously it wasn't."

"You were watching us?"

"Yeah."

"That's not okay, Tracer."

"Yes, I know, but it was done out of concern for you."

"How is stalking me and Lúcio on a blind date _you_ set up a sign of concern on your part?"

"Because you wouldn't open up to me! I was trying to be your friend when everyone else thought you were a traitor. But you never called me and you've practically ignored me since we've been roommates together. Then when I noticed the way you were staring at Lúcio during our first club meeting, I figured understanding that might help me understand you better. Guess I should've minded my own business as usual."

As Tracer got up to leave, Symmetra touched her shoulders from behind with both hands.

"Please, don't go," Symmetra pleaded wearily. "I'm the one who's at fault here."

"Why?" Tracer asked.

"It was Widowmaker who tried to kill you, not Junkrat. She left our dorm the night of the attempted murder, and made me cover for her."

"Did she threaten you?"

"With blackmail."

"Of what kind?"

"If I didn't back up her alibi, Widowmaker would tell Soldier: 76 about my true identity."

"Like your real name?"

"No, Overwatch already knows that." Symmetra took a deep breath and said, "I'm not actually from the Nari School of Architecture. That was just a cover."

"So where're you from?"

"Architech Academy, the only school in the world that teaches students how to use Hard-Light Technology and is directly owned by the Vishkar Corporation. They sent me here to investigate a suspect in the Rio de Janeiro rebellion."

"And that suspect is…Lúcio?"

"His rise to fame occurred right after the rebellion, and that device he uses is very similar to the one that was stolen from Vishkar. Unfortunately, these pieces of evidence are not enough to incriminate him. I need to find something more concrete, so my superiors can come to a definite conclusion on the matter."

"Such as?"

"Lúcio's device, which I've been trying to obtain in order to compare it with the one that got stolen. Unfortunately, he keeps the device with him at all times and my time is running out."

"How long do you have?"

"Till next Semester, when I graduate from Overwatch High."

"Oh, that's soon!" Tracer realized. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yes, there is something you can do."

"Which is?"

"Ask him about borrowing the device temporarily. If he refuses, then snatch it from him."

"But that's stealing!"

"If he is the thief Vishkar is looking for, then it serves him right to have something that was stolen taken back."

"Even so, I think he deserves to know what's going on."

"No, you will not tell him!"

"And why not?"

"No one must ever know who I am! I'm not sure how Widowmaker figured it out, but the only reason I'm telling you is because I need someone to trust."

"As a friend or an assistant to your mission?"

"Both, but I'm not going to make you help me if you don't want to."

"Well, that's good."

"However, you must promise to not tell anyone else what I've told you. If that happens, I will be in a lot of trouble."

"With Vishkar?"

Symmetra nodded. "They scouted me when I was very young, and were nice enough to give me an artificial arm after I lost my real one during the Omnic Crisis. In turn, I worked hard and became one of Architech's top students. The chair you just sat in was my first Hard-Light work."

Tracer looked down at the chair. "I'm sure your parents must be proud."

Frowning, Symmetra touched her robot arm. "After I moved to Utopaea, Vishkar didn't allow me to see my parents. They said it was to prevent me from straying off the path to becoming a true Architech."

"That still doesn't excuse them for isolating you from your parents."

"Before Vishkar came into my life, I was sick one-armed child who had to dance in public squares for money so me and my extremely poor parents wouldn't end up on the streets! What Vishkar did may seem wrong to you, but they gave me everything I ever wanted and now it's my turn to repay them."

With that said, Symmetra grabbed a small bag and towel before opening the door. Zarya was still in the living room eating a bag of chips as Symmetra went into the bathroom while Tracer came out of Symmetra's bedroom looking defeated.

"I take it talk did not go well," Zarya observed.

"You think?" Tracer said sarcastically.

"Was she mad about date?"

"Pretty much."

"That's what I thought."

When Zarya didn't ask further, Tracer was relieved and went straight to her room.

To be continued…


	80. Stage 80: Bad Memories!

Stage 80: Bad Memories!

With her homework for the week completely done, Tracer was able to spend the night packing essential items into a backpack with the British flag on it. Among the items were Tracer's costume, a change of regular clothes, a bathroom bag, the Pulse Pistols and Pulse Bombs.

"That should be enough," Tracer said to herself. "It's only going to be a weekend trip, after all."

But as she attempted to cram everything into her backpack, it was clear that some things didn't fit. So Tracer was forced to place the Pulse Pistols and Bombs into their secret compartments on the Chronal Accelerator, which she was planning to wear anyway just in case something happened. As a result of this change she was able to put the costume, clothes, and bathroom bag into the backpack much more easily.

"Now all I have to do is drop off my assignments," Tracer said as she grabbed a handful of papers and used Blink to exit the dorm.

After delivering the assignments to the teachers' respective mailboxes, which were located outside their offices, Tracer changed into her pajamas and went to bed.

###

At 5 AM the next morning, Tracer's alarm went off. Excitedly, she Blinked out of bed and put on a yellow sporty top under an orange hoodie with blue jeans and brown shoes. Slinging the backpack over her shoulder, Tracer met Zarya and Symmetra in the living room who were carrying their own bags. While Tracer and Zarya exchanged looks of nervousness, Symmetra went to the front door and charged out.

"Is she still mad at you?" Zarya asked. "It's been a week."

"I'm not sure," Tracer replied. "I said something that made her mad during our discussion."

"What did you say?"

Not wanting to break her promise to Symmetra, Tracer made up a white lie. "After we settled things on the blind date, our conversation shifted to the Vishkar Corporation and I disagreed with their policies which she didn't like."

"Oh, I see." When Tracer looked confused, Zarya explained, "It's no secret that Symmetra is big advocate for Vishkar, and they are one of our school's sponsors. But some students, like Lúcio, think Overwatch High should be sponsored by UN instead of big companies like Vishkar and the Rio de Janeiro rebellion has proven that point."

"Yeah, I imagine," Tracer said as she thought back to what Symmetra told her last week.

Zarya noticed Tracer looking down. "Is something wrong?"

"Uh, nothing! Let's get out of here before Symmetra beats us to the jet."

Blinking ahead, Tracer went out the door and down the hall. She found Symmetra getting into the elevator but was unable to stop her from closing the doors. Using Recall, Tracer kept the doors from closing allowing her and Zarya to get into the elevator.

"You didn't have to do that," Symmetra muttered.

"Well, I had no choice," Tracer said as the elevator went downward. "Otherwise, you would have left us behind."

"How do you know?" Symmetra said looking sternly at Tracer.

"I'm not sure," Tracer joked. "It's the strangest feeling of déjà vu."

Symmetra said nothing further and the elevator stopped on the first floor.

###

At the soccer field there was a small jet plane parked. It resembled a space shuttle and had the Overwatch logo on the rudder. While Soldier: 76 and Ana stood nearby, the plane's hatch opened revealing some interior seats. Then a gangway emerged and made contact with the ground at a sloped angle.

" _Are you all here to participate in the Payload Competition?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

"Yes, sir!" the twelve students responded.

"Good," Ana nodded. "But just to be sure, I will check for your name before you board the jet."

Soldier: 76 then told everyone to stand in a single-file line. Then one-by-one, the students approached Ana who looked down at her electronic clipboard and swiped away names that popped up. When it was Tracer's turn, Soldier: 76's eyebrows furrowed.

After a brief glance at her clipboard, Ana said, "You're all set. Get on the plane."

Without hesitating, Tracer hauled her backpack up the gangway onto the plane. Inside, there were two rows of seats along the sides facing inward while all the luggage was placed inside a storage compartment in the center aisle.

As Tracer sat down in her seat, she noticed Zarya following Symmetra toward the back to sit next to her.

 _It's okay_ , Tracer thought. _As long as Zarya doesn't ask questions, Symmetra's secret is safe with me_.

"Hey," D. Va said, taking the seat next to Tracer's. "Why the long face?"

"I'm just nervous about the Payload Competition," Tracer lied.

"How come?" Lúcio sat next to D. Va, making her blush a little. "Afraid of losing?"

"No, it's not that," Tracer answered reluctantly. "I happened to notice Soldier: 76 looked concerned when Ana checked my name, like he didn't want me to be here."

"Probably your imagination," Mei said, sitting across from Tracer. "You can never tell what emotions Soldier: 76 is expressing under that mask of his."

"Yeah, but his eyebrows move which is a good indicator of how he feels," Tracer responded.

"How so?" Mei seemed intrigued as she pressed her glasses.

"If they're furrowed, he's nervous. But if they're not, he tends to be calm."

"Interesting."

" _Attention, students,_ " Soldier: 76's voice blared over the speakers. " _In a few minutes, we will be heading for Watchpoint: Gibraltar. Be sure to fasten your seat belts and secure your luggage. That is all._ "

The minutes went by quickly until 10 seconds remained. As the countdown started the hatch closed, the gangway retreated, and the plane lifted upward. Tracer and the others held on tightly as the engines fired up with a furious roar. Then the jet was propelled into the air at tremendous speed which lasted for several seconds before leveling out. As expected, some of the students got sick and had to go to the bathroom located at the plane's rear end.

"You okay?" Lúcio asked Tracer whose hands were wrapped around her stomach.

"I'm fine," Tracer muttered.

Then as tears rolled down Tracer's face, D. Va leaned over and lent her shoulder.

"Bad memories?" D. Va said.

"I always get sad when flying," Tracer replied quietly. "But the acceleration of the jet…reminded of the _Slipstream_ when I took off in it with my dad."

While Tracer cried on D. Va's shoulder, Lúcio tried to play music to cheer her up.

To be continued…


	81. Stage 81: Project Recall!

Stage 81: Project Recall!

Upon arriving at Watchpoint: Gibraltar, Tracer was amazed by the sheer size of the buildings and towers which emerged from rocky cliffs that made up the coastal area. While the other students were getting out of the plane, Tracer noticed Winston walking towards them wearing a white jumpsuit that had the Overwatch symbol stitched on the back.

"Greetings," Winston said adjusting his glasses. "I'm here to show you around the base before we discuss your assignment for this year's Payload Competition."

" _Lead the way, Winston,_ " Soldier: 76 replied.

Winston nodded and showed the students every machine, building, and room within the facility. They passed through several gates in the process and Tracer kept hearing the ocean waves hit the shore at the base's southern end.

"And these will be your sleeping quarters," Winston said, showing a large empty room with lockers on one side. "We didn't have enough space to provide individual rooms, but there are sleeping bags and pillows located inside the lockers whose combinations I shall give you. Don't forget them."

Using his wristwatch computer, Winston was able to transfer locker combinations to everyone's cellphones and wristwatches much to their amazement. Then the students placed their bags and weapons inside the lockers before following Winston to the Dining Hall. Here, several men and women wearing jumpsuits just like Winston's greeted them. After sharing a cafeteria food dinner with these people, Tracer and the other students were led to a briefing room which contained a large table and a holographic image of the Overwatch logo.

" _Take your seats, and we'll start the meeting,_ " Soldier: 76 said as he and Ana stood near the head of the table.

While Winston sat opposite of them, the students took seats along the sides. Once everyone was seated, the lights dimmed and the holographic image changed to a blueprint of a cylindrical object inside a rocket-shaped shuttle.

" _This is your Payload,_ " Soldier: 76 stated. " _It's a satellite drone designed to keep track of every Overwatch agent in the world. This way, we can locate criminal hideouts and send encoded messages to agents. But if an organization like Talon were to obtain it, they could find our homes and kill us all._ "

A heavy silence fell over the room.

"That is why it is imperative that we launch this satellite into space before anyone has the chance to grab it," Ana said as the hologram switched to a diagram of the shuttle moving between buildings, through a tunnel, and up to a larger rocket. "Red Team, you will be escorting the satellite from the comm tower to the launchpad. Blue Team, protect the launch site from outside intruders and then place the satellite onto the rocket."

"Wait a minute," Azúcar spoke up. "I was told that the Payload Competitions involved two teams fighting against each other, not cooperating."

"A lot of the equipment here is very delicate, so a full-blown fight would be too risky," Winston explained. "Plus, we're on a tight launching schedule and the UN does _not_ want any setbacks."

" _Exactly,_ " Soldier: 76 concurred. " _So plan strategies with your respective teams and get a good night's rest. We will be starting the mission at 5 in the morning. Dismissed!_ "

With that the students left the briefing room except for Winston, Soldier: 76, and Ana.

"Are you sure it was wise to not tell them what this satellite is _really_ for?" Winston asked. "It's my creation, after all."

" _They don't need to know the whole truth,_ " Soldier: 76 responded. " _Adawe may have faith in Project Recall, but I don't._ "

"Why is that?" Ana said.

" _Because I'm not convinced that Overwatch will be shut down in the near future._ "

"Given the heated political atmosphere and our tedious relationship with the UN right now, it's not completely far-fetched," Winston said. "Thus, this satellite will give me the power to look after the agents and call them in case the world needs Heroes again."

Soldier: 76 looked doubtful. " _You really think you can do my job?_ "

"Someone has to," Winston replied. "You're not going to be around forever."

" _Old soldiers never die, and they don't fade away._ "

Then Soldier: 76 stormed out of the briefing room with Ana following after him.

"Winston is right, you know," Ana said, pinching Soldier: 76's shoulder. "We may not be that old underneath this plastic surgery, but we're certainly getting older."

" _What's your point?_ " Soldier: 76 grumbled.

"I just want you to keep an open mind about the future, and be prepared for whatever happens."

" _The future is nonexistent. There is the present, which is where we are right now, and the past._ "

"If that were the case, we would have nothing to fight for. The Omnic Crisis wouldn't have ended, and this current age of peace would still be a dream."

" _Even so, Adawe has no right to give Winston full control of the project when_ I'm _the leader of this organization for God's sake!_ "

Ana's visible eyebrow raised. "Still have that streak of pride in you? I thought it went away after Gabe died."

Soldier: 76's fists clenched. " _Don't ever mention his name. He was a traitor._ "

"My knowledge of the battle between you and him is second-hand. I was busy recovering in a hospital after that sniper—

" _Widowmaker_ ," Soldier: 76 interrupted." _We examined some discarded shells from her gun and they're the same as the one that took your eye. Why must you constantly refer to Widowmaker as 'that sniper'?_ "

"Because I knew the real Widowmaker," Ana said, instinctively touching her eyepatch. "She was a sweet girl who was only trying to please her husband Gérard. Then Talon corrupted her with their evil, creating this cold-blooded woman with no consideration for anyone but herself."

" _Making her the perfect assassin, and a force to be reckoned with along with Reaper._ "

"Has Adawe found anything about him?"

" _Apart from the reports of his attacks, there's nothing concrete about who he is or why he's working for Talon._ "

"But didn't you secretly record him with your Visor during your first battle and send the footage to Adawe's forensic experts?"

" _Yes, and they're still analyzing the footage._ "

"How long does that normally take?"

" _I'm not sure. They said it would take several weeks, but it's been two months._ "

"Perhaps you should talk to Adawe about the footage sometime. She could be withholding the information on purpose."

" _When has she ever done that?_ " Soldier: 76 asked as Ana walked away.

"The time you left me for dead, Jack," Ana said looking over her shoulder. "She knew I was still alive, but decided not to tell you in case the sniper found out. If she's dug something up about Reaper that would affect your performance as Overwatch's leader, then she'll do everything in her power to withhold it."

Stunned, Soldier: 76 said nothing as Ana's footsteps echoed down the hallways until they were heard no more.

To be continued…


	82. Stage 82: Surprise Attack (Part 1)!

Stage 82: Surprise Attack (Part 1)!

The next day, Tracer came into the bathroom with a tired expression on her face.

"You okay?" Mei asked, wearing a thick blue bathrobe.

"Not really," Tracer said yawning.

"Couldn't sleep last night?" D. Va interjected.

Tracer nodded. "Yeah, but I also heard voices."

D. Va gave Tracer a perplexed look. "What kind?"

"Don't know. Maybe I was dreaming."

"Perhaps," Azúcar responded.

Mei glanced at Azúcar for a moment before looking back at the mirror.

###

After the girls got dressed in their costumes, they joined the boys in the Dining Hall for breakfast. There, they found most of the men and women they met yesterday including Winston who was helping himself to some bananas. But as soon as he saw the students, Winston straightened himself out.

"Good morning," Winston said politely. "I take it you slept well."

" _Da_ (yes)," Zarya said affirmatively.

" _Same,_ " Genji stated.

"Excellent," Winston smiled. "We've got a great selection of food here, so pick up some plates and eat up!"

It was a continental-style selection of eggs, bacon, sausages, fruit, and donuts. Meanwhile, the available beverages included coffee and tea. Everyone took their share of the food and sat at various tables scattered around the hall.

"Great Scott!" Tracer exclaimed, looking at Zarya's plate which was stacked with sausages and bacon. "Are you going to be able to eat all that?"

"Sure," Zarya said, stuffing several pieces of bacon into her mouth. "And I'll take leftovers too."

"Okay."

As Tracer started to eat her eggs, she overheard some workers whispering nearby.

"Wow, they look like real superheroes."

"But they're just kids."

"Do you think they'll be able to handle the assignment?"

"I don't know."

"Don't let their words get to you," Lúcio said to Tracer. "With both teams protecting the satellite, there's no way we'll fail."

"Let's hope so," Symmetra said cutting her fruit into geometrical shapes. "From what I gather, they increased security prior to our arrival."

"Why's that?" D. Va wondered. "Shouldn't our presence be enough to scare off anyone who tries to steal the satellite?"

Symmetra stabbed her fruit with a fork. "Do you honestly believe we're a threat to the likes of Talon? They would mow us down without batting an eye."

"Hey, chill out!" Lúcio said noticing D. Va's frightened look. "You're scaring her."

"I'm only telling the truth," Symmetra said defensively.

Just then, Soldier: 76 entered the Dining Hall along with Ana.

" _Red Team, finish your meals and meet me at the Comm Tower!_ " Soldier: 76 commanded.

"Blue Team, do the same and I'll guide you to the Launchpad," Ana added.

Reluctantly, both groups finished their plates and left the Dining Hall. It was here that Tracer parted with Symmetra, Zarya, Hanzo, Azúcar, and a couple of other students who followed Ana. Instead she went with Soldier: 76 who was leading the Red Team which consisted of herself, Lúcio, D. Va, Genji, Zenyatta, and Mei. They went through a series of tunnels and gates before ending up at the Comm Tower where the satellite drone was hovering above a metal strip which curved around a bend of buildings.

" _Fascinating,_ " Zenyatta said looking at the satellite drone. " _How is it hovering like that?_ "

" _There's a magnetic coil that runs underneath this strip,_ " Soldier: 76 said, pointing to the curving line of metal in the ground. " _It's designed to transport items to the Launchpad more safely and it puts less strain on the workers._ "

"Makes sense," Mei said. "Have there been any accidents with the coil, though?"

" _Not so far,_ " Soldier: 76 said assuredly. Then he pressed a button his wristwatch. " _Athena! Begin the Payload Competition countdown._ "

" _Acknowledged,_ " Athena's voice said over speakers located throughout the area. " _The Payload Competition will begin in two minutes!_ "

During that time, the Red Team got into their proper places. While D. Va stood in front of the satellite with MEKA, Mei was behind her, then Tracer and Genji took the sides while Lúcio and Zenyatta brought up the rear.

" _The Payload Competition will begin in 5…4…3…2…1!_ "

Hearing that, D. Va activated MEKA's Boosters and leaped forward down the path. But what distracted Tracer and the others more was the giant wall of ice in front of them.

"Where did that come from?" Lúcio wondered.

"It's my Ice Wall," Mei said, holding her Endothermic Blaster. "I was worried the satellite would get damaged by the Boosters' flames."

"That's a nice thought, but now we can't move," Tracer pointed out.

"Not to worry," Mei replied calmly. "All I have to do is set my Blaster to 'Destroy' and—

With the push of a button, Mei caused the Ice Wall to shatter into small pieces.

"There!" Mei nodded. "Now let's go."

Following Mei around the bend, Tracer and the others did the same with the satellite hovering along the magnetic coil at a steady pace. Further ahead, they came to a dip in the path where D. Va had stopped and turned around.

" _Jeez, what took you guys so long?_ " D. Va complained from inside the cockpit. " _I was several feet ahead._ "

"We had a bit of a hold-up," Tracer explained vaguely. "Plus the satellite doesn't move very fast on the magnetic coil."

" _Is there some way we could speed it up?_ " D. Va asked.

"It seems to move quicker when we're all standing nearby," Mei observed as the satellite moved down the dip toward D. Va. "I'm sure there's a reasonable scientific explanation for this."

" _Initiating launch sequence in four minutes,_ " Athena stated.

" _Who cares! We're wasting time!_ " D. Va said anxiously.

With D. Va leading the way, the Red Team escorted the satellite up from the dip and to the right where they encountered a large metal door with the Overwatch logo painted on. There was a big yellow circle on the ground which the satellite moved to and stopped. A pair of red lights turned on followed by an alarm as the metal door lifted up. On the other side lay a vast storage facility with a space shuttle hanging from the ceiling and several machines lying around.

"Is it just me or is it a little too quiet in here?" Lúcio said nervously.

As he spoke, the metal door suddenly closed behind them followed by an echoing voice. "'Step into my parlor,' said the spider to the fly."

"Widowmaker!" Tracer realized, pulling out her Pulse Pistols. "Stay sharp, everyone!"

To be continued…


	83. Stage 83: Surprise Attack (Part 2)!

Stage 83: Surprise Attack (Part 2)!

When the Venom Mine came falling toward the Red Team, Lúcio took out his Sonic Amplifier and fired it. A blast of green energy flew past Tracer and knocked the Venom Mine several feet away from the satellite.

"Nice shot!" Tracer complimented as the Venom Mine exploded harmlessly.

"No problem!" Lúcio said, watching for any others.

Instead, the cock of a rifle was heard.

Tracer looked grim. "She's loading her Sniper-Rifle. Everyone take cover!"

While Tracer Lúcio and Zenyatta hid behind a nearby machine D. Va activated her Defense Matrix, Mei encased herself in ice, and Genji reached for his sword. When the Sniper-Rifle was fired, the bullets flew straight toward Genji but he blocked them with his sword. There were footsteps that echoed, causing D. Va to switch from her Defense Matrix to the Fusion Cannons which sent a relentless volley of bullets in Widowmaker's direction.

" _I think I scared her away,_ " D. Va said when she didn't hear anything after silence followed the Fusion Cannons.

"Not quite," Widowmaker cooed.

Another Venom Mine was thrown but this time it landed on the block of ice encasing Mei. Immediately, Genji turned around to swing his sword but a shot from the Sniper-Rifle damaged his arm. While D. Va concentrated her Fusion Cannons on the direction of the bullet Lúcio roller-skated toward Genji and healed him with music blasting from the Sonic Amplifier. Then just as he was doing this Tracer saw several bullets hit him. Using Recall, Tracer was able to push Lúcio out of the way as the bullets missed their target.

"Thanks for the save, Tracy," Lúcio said as the two hid behind the satellite.

"It was nothing," Tracer responded.

" _Initiating launch sequence in three minutes,_ " Athena's voice blared.

"We have to keep moving," Mei said, releasing herself from the ice enclosure. "D. Va, use the Defense Matrix to protect us from the front. Tracer and I will provide support fire from the sides. Meanwhile, Zenyatta and Lúcio will heal us if we get injured."

" _What should I do?_ " Genji asked.

"Watch Zenyatta and Lúcio's backs, of course," Tracer said. "They're going to need just as much protection as we will."

As if to prove Tracer's point, Widowmaker sent another rapid volley of bullets in their direction. While D. Va blocked most of them with her shield, Tracer and Mei fired their weapons simultaneously at the source. While Lúcio used his Crossfade ability to heal them, Zenyatta prepared to throw Orbs of Harmony but a flash of purple flickered on his forehead causing him to throw Orbs of Discord at the others instead.

" _Master!_ " Genji exclaimed. " _You're throwing the wrong Orbs!_ "

" _Oh, sorry,_ " Zenyatta said. " _Allow me to correct that._ "

But when he tried, all he produced were either Orbs of Destruction or Discord.

"Yo, Zen!" Lúcio said over the gunfire. "What's the holdup?"

" _I seem to be experiencing technical difficulties,_ " Zenyatta replied. " _Though I'm not sure why._ "

" _Could it be caused by the same virus that affected me?_ " Genji suggested.

"What?" Tracer asked over the sounds of gunfire.

Hearing that, Genji froze.

" _We'll talk about this later,_ " Zenyatta interceded. " _But right now we need to concentrate on getting to the Launchpad._ "

"All right," Lúcio said, and switched to a different song. "Time to accelerate!"

As he spoke, Tracer Mei and D. Va were suddenly moving faster than before.

" _Hey, isn't this 'We Move Together As One'?_ " D. Va said excitedly. " _I love this song!_ "

In a matter of minutes, the Red Team approached a second door. While Mei put up an Ice Wall to block Widowmaker's fire, the satellite moved over another yellow circle followed by an alarm. When the door opened this time, the group was shocked to find a pile of bodies blocking their path.

" _It's the Blue Team!_ " D. Va exclaimed from inside the cockpit. " _What happened to them?_ "

" ** _They've gone to meet their maker,_** " Reaper said appearing right behind the bodies. " ** _Now their souls belong to me, the Angel of Death!_** "

"Heroes never die!"

There was a flash of yellow light which blinded both the Red Team and Reaper causing them to step back. Afterwards, Mercy came flying down wearing a white and orange dress with metallic wings that glowed. As for the Blue Team, they were now standing up looking baffled.

" ** _You've got to be kidding me,_** " Reaper groaned. " ** _Now you're all dead!_** "

" _Net_ (No)!" Zarya said as she fired the Particle Cannon at Reaper. "Together we are strong."

As the Particle Cannon's energy caused Reaper to dissipate, Tracer saw him appear right next to Mercy and was about to shoot her when Genji leaped forward shouting, " _Ryuujin no ken wo kurae!_ "

When the green dragon appeared, Genji withdrew the sword and sliced Reaper's shotguns in half in one strike.

" ** _Nice try, Cyborg,_** " Reaper said withdrawing a new pair of shotguns. " ** _But I can do better._** "

"Oh, yeah?" Tracer had Blinked behind Reaper and was pointing her Pulse Pistols directly at his head. "I don't think so, creep."

Just then, a pair of heels were heard and everyone looked to a flight of stairs leading up to an opening next to the storage facility where Widowmaker was standing. She had her red-colored lenses on and was pointing the Sniper-Rifle downward.

"If you take one shot at him, I will kill everyone else," Widowmaker warned.

"Trying to scare me, eh?" Tracer teased. "It's not going to work if you think we're all just going to stand around and do nothing."

"That's why I brought this," Widowmaker said as she lowered the Sniper-Rifle and produced a Venom Mine. "Now step away from Reaper."

Just as Tracer was about to, Winston suddenly appeared on the storage facility's roof and dropped down on Widowmaker. She was so surprised that the Venom Mine flew from her hands, prompting Tracer to Blink from Reaper and catch it.

While Reaper disappeared once more, Athena's voice blared over the speakers. " _Initiating launch sequence in one minute._ "

"Shoot! We gotta jet!" Lúcio said. "Get in front of me, guys!"

While Tracer and Winston were busy dealing with Reaper and Widowmaker respectfully, the rest crowded around the satellite as Lúcio used Crossfade to speed everyone up. They reached the top of a slope next to the storage facility and made a left turn when Mei and Genji decided to head back.

" ** _Seems there's a limit to your power,_** " Reaper observed as the light on Tracer's Chronal Accelerator had gone out. Then he pointed one of his shotguns at her and said, " ** _Guess you weren't fast enough._** "

"Hey, chill out!" Mei said as she fired icicles from her Endothermic Blaster.

They hit Reaper and caused him to freeze in place.

"Thanks," Tracer said, catching her breath.

"That's what Heroes are for," Mei smiled.

Meanwhile, Winston was struggling against Widowmaker when Genji came to his aid. Together, they were able to pinpoint Widowmaker using Genji's Shuriken blades and wrestle the Sniper-Rifle from her.

" _Weren't you supposed to be monitoring us?_ " Genji asked Winston.

"Yes, but the monitors suddenly turned off which prompted me to investigate," Winston said as he broke Widowmaker's Sniper-Rifle in two. "I have a hunch Sombra was responsible for it."

" _Was she the one who let Widowmaker and Reaper into this facility?_ "

"Probably, but I'm not sure how."

Then with that, Winston leaped down from the staircase followed by Genji. They got together with Tracer and Mei and went up the slope just as Athena said, " _Payload received! Initiating launch sequence in 10 seconds!_ "

"We got to hurry!" Winston said running faster. "I don't want to miss this!"

" _10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…rocket launch initiated!_ " Athena announced.

There was a load roar as the rocket's engines fired producing smoke and fire. Then very slowly, the rocket started to move upwards from the Launchpad and into the sky. As it climbed higher, the rocket moved faster with a trail of fiery smoke billowing out. Winston, Mercy, and the two teams watched from a safe distance while the rocket moved in an upward slope.

"That was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen," Tracer sighed. "Maybe I should consider doing an internship here."

"It's a difficult program to get into," Winston responded. "But you're certainly welcome to try."

"I can't believe we were killed so easily by Reaper," Symmetra said looking upset. "Like we were nothing more than flies for him to swat."

"Exactly," Hanzo concurred. "Not even my Ultimate could take him down."

"But I was able to freeze him," Mei said causing the Blue Team to stare at her in surprise. "If you want to take a look."

By the time everyone got to the slope, though, there was shattered ice fragments where Reaper once stood, Widowmaker was gone, and Azúcar was lying on the ground. Concerned, Mercy flew over to her.

"Is she dead?" Tracer asked after Blinking over to Mercy.

"No, she's just unconscious," Mercy said. "Though I didn't see her when I revived the entire Blue Team."

"Odd," Tracer noted.

To be continued…


	84. Stage 84: Accusations and Warnings!

Stage 84: Accusations and Warnings!

" _What the hell was that?_ " Gabrielle Adawe demanded as her voice projected from the holographic screen on Soldier: 76's desk. " _I thought you_ _had the situation under control!_ "

It had been several hours since the Watchpoint: Gibraltar mission was completed and the students who participated were back at the school along with the teachers who chaperoned them.

Soldier: 76 cleared his throat and said, " _Everything was going smoothly, until Sombra—_

" _I know she disrupted your communications!_ " Gabrielle snapped. " _Now tell me how two Talon agents slipped past Athena's security so easily?_ "

" _We found a couple of things,_ " Soldier: 76 responded as pressed a button which showed two pictures taken from his Visor. They depicted different locations, but had the same white disk-shaped device lying on the ground. " _One was located near the Launchpad, while the other happened to be inside a closet in the Nurse's Office._ "

Gabrielle stared at the pictures for a few seconds before saying, " _These devices look similar to the one that Sombra used to transport herself into the Detention Facility last Semester, but they're much bigger and differently colored._ "

" _That's because they're Teleporters,_ " Soldier: 76 answered. " _What Sombra used was a Translocator, which can only transport one person. A Teleporter, by contrast, can transport several people from one place to another._ "

" _So you're telling me that someone_ helped _the Talon agents?_ "

" _Based on the current evidence, yes._ "

" _How did they get into the Nurse's Office without being seen by either Mercy or Athena?_ "

" _Mercy was substituting for a class, and the security cameras were temporarily shut down during the intrusion so Athena didn't react until after the agents had left._ "

" _Was Sombra the cause of that?_ " Gabrielle asked.

Reluctantly, Soldier: 76 nodded.

" _It seems this attack was well-planned in advance. If Mercy hadn't shown up, the satellite would've ended up in Talon hands for sure._ "

" _I…couldn't agree more,_ " Soldier: 76 replied nervously.

" _That wasn't a compliment!_ " Gabrielle snapped. " _Now either you find the accomplice who helped Talon, or risk losing your job!_ "

Trying to keep calm, Soldier: 76 stated, " _We already have a suspect._ "

" _Then get as many answers as you can out of them. I'll try to keep the UN from going into hysterics over the possibility of another attack._ "

As the holographic screen vanished, Soldier: 76 removed his mask and let out a deep sigh.

###

"Why have you brought me here?" Symmetra said as she sat across from Soldier: 76 in the interrogation room with her arms folded.

" _To ask a few questions,_ " Soldier: 76 answered bluntly. " _Do these look familiar?_ "

Turning to the door, Soldier: 76 nodded to McCree who entered the interrogation room carrying a Teleporter in each hand. After setting them down on the table, McCree briefly glanced at Symmetra and tipped his hat before leaving.

"These are…Teleporters," Symmetra murmured.

" _Are they yours?_ "

Symmetra hesitated. "They're of the same design as the Vishkar Corporation ones."

" _But didn't you learn how to make them at the Nari School of Architecture?_ "

"Yes, but that doesn't mean they are mine."

" _Who else do you think could've made them?_ "

"Lúcio," Symmetra responded after some hesitation. "I think his device uses Hard Light to manipulate sound waves, just as mine creates matter from the same substance."

" _Is Hard Light needed to create Teleporters like these?_ " When Symmetra nodded, Soldier: 76 asked. " _So what makes you think Lúcio's device can do the same thing as yours?_ "

"It's not a matter of whether his device has matter-manipulating capabilities or not, but he could have used it as a battery to power my Photon Projector which he might have stolen during the Talon attack at Watchpoint: Gibraltar."

Soldier: 76 gave Symmetra a dubious look. " _Is this a proposed scenario or did that really happen, Symmetra?_ "

"I was briefly killed during the attack, so it is possible that my Photon Projector was taken from my person during that time."

" _Well, either it got stolen or didn't. There are no 'ifs' here._ "

Looking disheartened, Symmetra suggested, "What if I told you that Lúcio is the one responsible for the Rio de Janeiro rebellion?"

Hearing that, Soldier: 76 raised an eyebrow. " _How does this relate to the Talon attack?_ "

From her robotic hand, Symmetra produced a holographic badge that contained a diamond-shaped insignia over a V-shaped dip. "We have reason to believe that Lúcio stole an experimental device from our former headquarters in Brazil and used it to manipulate the masses into rebelling against us."

" _So you work for Vishkar?_ " Soldier: 76 said, looking at the floating badge closely. " _Are they so desperate that they're recruiting kids now?_ "

"I could say the same about Overwatch," Symmetra retorted. "Now since Lúcio's a wanted criminal, Talon must have persuaded him to help them by stealing my device to create Teleporters with it."

" _But if that were the case, he must have stolen your device before the Watchpoint: Gibraltar mission began._ "

"True, and all the more reason to question him."

" _I'll consider doing that, but not to satisfy your accusations._ "

"Then for what?"

" _To learn the truth behind the Talon attack and why it was almost successful._ "

###

Out on the school soccer field, Lúcio was pushing a giant ball around with his Sonic Amplifier. He was practicing for the next Soccer Brawl competition, which was coming up again in October before the weather got colder. After scoring a goal, he decided to call it a day as the sun set behind a building shaped like a gazelle and went to the boys' locker-room. There, he was surprised to see Azúcar standing near his locker.

"Um, hey," Lúcio said, trying to hide his shock. "I didn't expect to find you here."

"I've come to give you a warning," Azúcar answered, moving a small disk-drive between her fingers. "Your secret has been revealed."

Lúcio's eyes widened. "No way! How do you know this?"

"I have proof right here," Azúcar responded, holding up the disk-drive. "But I will only give it to you if you promise to skip town tonight."

"Why so soon?"

"The authorities will have a harder time arresting you if you've already left."

"Can I at least talk to my friends?"

"They are not involved in this, so don't bother."

"Then why are you telling me this if you're not my friend?"

Azúcar flinched out of surprise. "I'm only doing what's necessary to fulfill my mission, and I think we could benefit from helping each other out."

Lúcio tilted his head. "How so?"

"I'll think of something, but leave this place as soon as possible. _Por favor_ (Please)?"

Seeing Azúcar's pleading face, Lúcio sighed and took the disk-drive from her hands. "All right, but I want to leave a message to my friends."

"Fine, but it'll have to be encrypted in case the authorities search your belongings."

"No problem," Lúcio replied as he put the disk-drive in his trouser pocket. "I know a guy who's good at decrypting things."

To be continued…


	85. Stage 85: Flight!

Stage 85: Flight!

The next day, Tracer noticed Zenyatta looked distraught and Blinked over to him.

"Oi," Tracer said. "What's wrong, Zenny?"

" _Lúcio wasn't in any of our classes this morning,_ " Zenyatta explained. " _And he's never missed a day of class before._ "

"That's strange," Tracer suggested. "Maybe he'll show up in Worldwide Politics, which I'm heading to right now."

" _I hope so._ "

###

But to Tracer's surprise, Lúcio didn't show up to Worldwide Politics either which baffled her and Ana who called Tracer over after class was over.

"Do you know where Lúcio is, by chance?" Ana asked.

Tracer shook her head. "No, I don't."

"Well, if you find him, tell him to go to Soldier: 76's office whenever he can."

"What for?"

"That information is strictly private."

"Oh, sorry I asked."

Then Tracer left with Mei following close behind.

"Are you okay, Tracer?" Mei said in a concerned tone.

"Not really," Tracer admitted. "I'm now more worried about Lúcio."

"Because he was absent today?"

"Yes, but I think he's in trouble."

Mei looked surprised. "Why do you say that?"

"I'd rather not talk about it, at least not here. Tell D. Va and meet me at Lúcio's dorm room."

"Um, okay," Mei said as she gave Tracer a confused look. "Why there?"

"I'll explain later."

###

In the boys' dormitory, Tracer met D. Va Mei and Azúcar along with Genji and Zenyatta.

"Where's Symmetra?" D. Va asked Tracer. "Wasn't she going to come too?"

"She's not responding to any of my text messages," Tracer said anxiously. "I'm going to give her a call."

So Tracer did, but seemed surprised when she hung up.

" _What is it?_ " Genji said, glancing at Tracer.

"Her number's been disconnected," Tracer replied.

"Strange," Azúcar responded. "I called Symmetra earlier and she said she's heading back to Utopaea, India."

Hearing that, Tracer glared at Azúcar. "Why didn't you say anything before?"

"You didn't ask," Azúcar stated.

" _Did she say why she was leaving?_ " Zenyatta wondered.

"Her exact words were 'I'm a failure.'"

This caused everyone to lower their heads except for Mei who gave Azúcar a suspicious look.

"Then I guess that's that," Tracer muttered. "Let's get this over with."

She led the charge up the stairs past Genji and Zenyatta while the others followed. Once inside the foyer, Tracer stopped.

"Ah, I forgot where Lúcio's dorm is," Tracer admitted.

D. Va groaned. "It's the same one he and Junkrat shared which is two floors up at the end of the hallway on the right."

Everyone looked at D. Va, causing her blush slightly.

"I sometimes followed Lúcio to his dorm after club meetings," D. Va said reluctantly. "But it's not like anything happened."

Giving D. Va a coy smile, Tracer made her way to the stairs and Blinked up them.

###

Inside Lúcio's room, which was unsurprisingly messy with clothes strewn all over the floor and the bed was unmade, Tracer went over to his laptop which had the frog-shaped logo on the back. Opening it, she found a file that said, 'Message to My Friends' and clicked on it to find a series of scrambled letters across a blank page.

"Found anything?" Mei said glancing over Tracer's shoulder.

"He left this, but I don't know what it says," Tracer said clicking on various parts of the page. Then she turned to Genji and Zenyatta. "Maybe one of you can help."

" _Let me see,_ " Genji said and approached the computer. He clicked a few things and typed some stuff on the keyboard.

Then when Tracer looked at the page, the scrambled letters were gone and a link to a video stood in its place.

"How did you do that?" Tracer said looking at Genji.

" _The message was encrypted, so I had to unlock it,_ " Genji explained. " _I'm an amateur hacker at best, but certainly not as good as Sombra._ "

While Azúcar shifted uncomfortably near the back, Genji clicked on the link which led to a private video showing Lúcio on face-cam in his room.

" _Hey, it's me,_ " Lúcio said, trying to sound cheerful. " _I have a few confessions to make: first, my life's in danger right now, and second there'll be people looking for me, and third you won't be hearing from me for a while. The reason all these things have come up is because of my past which I've always been very elusive about describing. But before I begin, I want to make it clear that what I'm sharing here should never reach anyone else's ears but yours. Is that cool?_ "

As if on queue, everyone nodded.

" _All right…_ " Lúcio paused and took a deep breath. " _My real name is Lúcio Correia dos Santos, and I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. My parents were extremely poor and we lived in a favela, which is the Brazilian equivalent to a shanty town. The Omnic Crisis hit places like that the hardest, so it wasn't easy growing up there. I loved music, even back then, and thought by sharing that love I could cheer people up. Starting on street corners, I did freestyle rapping and break-dancing to an old boom box my dad owned. This got me an invitation to an official block party and from there some underground shows. There, I learned how to use turntables and mixers which became a part of my musical style._

" _Then Vishkar showed up, and everything changed. They claimed they were redeveloping our neighborhoods in order to improve our lives, but that wasn't the case. Instead, Vishkar imposed strict curfews and arrested anyone who was perceived as a criminal. In addition, they were controlling people through sound waves emanated by the Sonic Amplifier and using them as cheap labor. So I stole the Sonic Amplifier and converted it into a tool to rally the citizens of Rio de Janeiro to drive Vishkar out. After that, I became an instant celebrity and decided to join Overwatch because I wanted to help others. Now Vishkar's been on my tail this whole time, though I've managed to avoid getting caught so far._

" _Today, though, I received a warning from someone who said my secret's been revealed and told me to leave town. Not wanting to question them, I'm going to do just that but I thought I'd leave a message to you guys and explain what's going on. Now you may perceive my actions up till now as being foolish or reckless, but it was done because I thought I was doing the right thing. In retrospect, I probably should've contacted Overwatch instead of taking matters into my own hands. Oh, well, at least I got to become a successful musician and meet y'all in the process. So I'm going to be laying low for the time-being, not sure when you'll hear back from me, but I'll keep trying to make a difference in the world either through music or helping others. Tchau_ (Bye) _!_ "

Then the video ended and a heavy silence fell over the room.

To be continued…


	86. Stage 86: Comfort and Knowledge!

Stage 86: Comfort and Knowledge!

" _Tracer,_ " Soldier: 76 said after Weapons 201 was over. " _Can I talk to you for a minute?_ "

"Sure," Tracer mumbled.

Reluctantly, she followed Soldier: 76 to his office and sat in the chair across from him.

" _I've noticed that D. Va's been absent from class for about a week,_ " Soldier: 76 stated. " _Do you know why?_ "

"Um, no," Tracer said looking down.

" _Is there something going on_ _?_ " When Tracer didn't answer, Soldier: 76 turned down the lights and removed his mask. "You don't have to hold back for my sake. We agreed to not keep secrets, remember?"

Hearing her own advice, Tracer immediately felt tears rolling down her cheeks as she described everything from Symmetra's confession to Lúcio's heart-wrenching goodbye.

When the last word was spoken, Soldier: 76 sighed deeply. "Why didn't you tell me these things sooner?"

"Because they told me to never talk about these things to anyone else," Tracer said as she dried her eyes in the dark.

"But these are serious matters, Lena. A Vishkar agent posing as a student is one thing, but a thief who caused a nationwide rebellion-

"Lúcio was only doing what he thought was right! His people were being repressed by the Vishkar Corporation, and you know it!"

"That's still up for debate since Vishkar hasn't been willing to cooperate with us on investigating the truth of the situation."

"Probably because they want to save their reputation from being ruined."

Before Soldier: 76 could answer, the warning bell rang.

"My next class starts soon," Tracer said, getting out of the chair. "We'll talk more about this later."

"All right," Soldier: 76 replied, putting his mask back on.

###

" _You have a lot of explaining to do, Jack!_ " Gabrielle said irritably through Soldier: 76's phone. " _The Vishkar Corporation's threatening a lawsuit against Overwatch, and the UN wants answers._ "

" _Very well,_ " Soldier: 76 affirmed. " _I just received new information that may shed some light on this issue as well as the identity of the mysterious Talon assistant._ "

" _From who?_ "

" _An anonymous source, who claims Symmetra was blackmailed by Widowmaker before the attempted assassination on Tracer's life and that_ _Lúcio was the one responsible for starting the Rio de Janeiro rebellion._ "

" _I fail to see what either of these things have to do with the current situation._ "

" _Quite a lot, actually. If Symmetra had been blackmailed by a Talon agent before, then it's possible she was coerced into helping Talon through similar threats. The Teleporters we found prove that, as they were exactly like the ones she created for a class, and Athena detected several lies from her during the interrogation. Also, the anonymous source left a video where_ _Lúcio explains his backstory including how he started the rebellion and that Vishkar's been after him since._ "

" _So Symmetra was sent by Vishkar to capture_ _Lúcio because his interference disrupted their business in Rio de Janeiro. But that doesn't explain the lawsuit._ "

" _Lúcio left after recording the video, and Symmetra went away around the same time. Therefore, Vishkar is attempting to cover for its incompetence in capturing_ _Lúcio and they're trying to put the blame on us._ "

" _Do you happen to have the confessional video, or any sort of recording from the anonymous source?_ "

" _Yes, ma'am._ "

" _Then send them to me as soon as possible. I want as much evidence as possible to counter Vishkar's lawsuit, and hopefully negotiate something that will satisfy_ _them_."

" _Even though they're in the wrong?_ "

" _Pissing them off will only make them cut funding for your school, and the UN can't afford a good substitute right now. Got it?_ "

" _Loud and clear_ _._ "

###

Later after classes were done, Tracer met up with Soldier: 76 and they went to see D. Va. She was in her dorm-room with the door closed. Mei had to leave for the Science Club while Azúcar was conveniently absent as well.

"Hana," Tracer said, tapping on the door. "It's me."

" _Go away!_ " D. Va shouted from the other side.

"I brought Jack. Do you want to tell him what's going on?"

" _No._ "

" _Why is that?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

" _Because you wouldn't understand._ "

" _It has to do with Lúcio, right?_ "

D. Va said nothing.

So Soldier: 76 took out a key card and slid it into a slot next to the door. As a result, the door slid open revealing complete darkness. Cautiously, Soldier: 76 stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. His red visor allowed him to see the room clearly, and found D. Va curled up on her bed with a handheld console.

" _From what Tracer told me, you seemed to have feelings for Lúcio. Is that correct?_ "

Still not saying anything, D. Va continued playing her game in silence.

Removing his mask, Soldier: 76 sat next to D. Va and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I may not fully understand love, but I know what it is like to lose someone close. But for the sake of yourself and others, you've got to move on with your life. It's not an easy thing to do, but you'll feel better once it's done."

Hiccuping sounds followed as tears streamed down D. Va's face which were highlighted in the light coming from the video game she was playing. Soldier: 76 allowed D. Va to lean against him and the two sat together in the darkness for a while. Outside, Tracer paced around the living-room area until Mei came in.

"Oh, hello, Tracer," Mei said, sounding surprised. "Have you come to see D. Va again?"

"Yes, but this time I brought Soldier: 76," Tracer explained.

Mei looked at D. Va's door, which was closed. "Is he in there now?"

"Yeah, so I wouldn't bother them."

"Okay."

As Mei went into her room, Tracer asked, "Do you happen to know where Azúcar is?"

"No," Mei said as her head shook. "I don't know where she goes."

"I see."

To be continued…


	87. Stage 87: Camping Trip!

Stage 87: Camping Trip!

Two weeks later, Ana's Survival 101 class made preparations to go on a field trip to the Black Forest in Germany. While some students weren't too happy about it, Mei and Tracer seemed to be the only ones who were genuinely excited.

"To tell you the truth, I've never gone camping before," Tracer muttered to Mei as the class flew in the same shuttle-shaped jet plane that took them to Watchpoint: Gibraltar. "My father was always to busy for it."

"That's too bad," Mei responded. "My parents always took me to the Qin Mountains, which were close to my home in Xi'an, so I could study all the flora and fauna up there."

" _Dios mío_ (My God)," Azúcar said shaking her head. "You're such a nature nerd."

Mei glared at Azúcar. "That wasn't very nice."

"Sorry," Azúcar apologized reluctantly. "Force of habit."

"What do you mean?" Tracer asked.

"I lived in Dorado, Mexico, where crime is rampant and gangs rule," Azúcar explained. "To survive there, you had to be tough and be able to throw insults if need be."

"But I wasn't threatening you, so there was no need to take that tone with me," Mei objected.

"I know, but it's hard to grow out of these things since I used to be in a gang."

This perked Tracer's interest. "Which one?"

Before Azúcar could answer, Ana's voice came over the speakers. " _We will be arriving at our destination soon. Prepare to disembark._ "

Hearing that, everyone got out of their seats and started taking their belongings from the compartment. Once they were equipped, the shuttle plane landed with a soft _thud_. The main door opened and the ramp followed.

Outside, the plane had landed in a large clearing surrounded by tall green trees on every side.

"This is your drop-off and extraction point," Ana explained as she planted a small yellow flag with the Overwatch symbol on a stump of wood. "I will be leaving soon and come back in three days. You must find shelter, gather food, and defend yourself from wild animals while I'm gone. Any attempts to leave for the nearby city of Stuttgart, or slacking on the assignment will result in points being deducted. Do I need to repeat myself?"

"No, ma'am!" Everyone said.

"Good," Ana nodded as she picked up her electronic clipboard. "Now I'm going to split you into three teams with one acting as the leader. The leader's job is to make sure the others aren't faltering, while the other members must keep the leader in check. If arguments occur, settle it among yourselves. As for serious injuries, call me on the communicators and I will come as soon as possible. But don't abuse it, or I'll take you straight back home. Understand?"

The students nodded, and Ana proceeded to read off names. As expected, Tracer and Mei were in the same group along with Azúcar who didn't seem too thrilled.

"Something bothering you, luv?" Tracer asked Azúcar.

"It's nothing," Azúcar said quietly. "I'm just…thinking about something."

###

Later, the three came upon a hollowed tree with soft dirt at its feet.

"We'll make camp here," Mei stated as she turned to Tracer and Azúcar. "If that's all right with you guys."

"Sure, team leader," Tracer responded doing a one-armed salute.

"I don't really care," Azúcar answered while looking at her fingernails.

"Okay," Mei shrugged and placed her backpack down. "We have several tasks that need to be accomplished including setting up tents, gathering firewood, and finding edible food sources. Now I could assign one task per person, since that is the minimal requirement, or have all of us participate in them."

"Isn't that up to you?" Azúcar asked sarcastically.

"Technically, yes, but I would like your input," Mei said calmly.

"I'm all for doing the tasks together," Tracer responded. "It'll make them a lot easier to accomplish and certainly give us more points overall."

"Yet we would be constantly getting in each other's way and it could lead to arguments," Azúcar claimed. "So I think assigning one task per person is good enough."

Mei sighed. "Sorry, Azúcar, but I'm with Tracer on this one. The tasks will go a lot faster if more people are doing them, and it'll insure they're being done right."

"Not necessarily," Azúcar argued. "The amount of work is the same whether we're all doing a task or not, and one person can do just as good as several people."

Tracer watched nervously as Mei and Azúcar glared at each other.

Several seconds later, Mei said, "Fine. Who wants to do what task?"

"I'll get the firewood," Azúcar replied as she suddenly vanished.

There was the sound of running feet and then silence.

"I hate it when she does that," Mei grumbled.

"Same here," Tracer agreed. "Guess I'll set up the tents, and you can look for food."

"Are you sure?" Mei looked surprised.

Tracer said putting a hand on her hip. "If you've studied plants and animals in the Qin Mountains, how hard can studying the Black Forest be?"

"Well, I did read a book about Black Forest wildlife before we left," Mei said thoughtfully. "So that would certainly qualify me to look for edible plants."

"What about animals?" Tracer asked. "Will we have to kill any?"

"Only if we have to. But for now, I'll try to avoid that."

###

After Mei had left, Tracer took out the instruction manual for assembling a tent from her backpack. She looked at the pictures and memorized them before activating the Chronal Accelerator. In a matter of seconds, the three tents were assembled though they looked crooked.

"That's odd," Tracer murmured as she looked at the pictures. "I could've sworn I did it right."

"Having some issues?" Mei said, carrying a basket full of berries nuts and mushrooms.

"Sort of," Tracer admitted. "I tried to put them together quickly, but they came out like this."

"Assembling a tent is _not_ something you should rush through," Mei responded as she put down the basket and walked over to the nearest tent. "These things take patience in order for them to be completely functional."

With that, Mei started to fix Tracer's mistakes while Tracer watched. Behind them, Azúcar came back with an armload of firewood and a disappointed frown.

"It's somewhere around here," Azúcar muttered. "I know it."

"Hm?" Mei gave Azúcar a confused look.

"Forget I said anything," Azúcar denied. "So what's for dinner, _amigos_ (friends)?"

"This," Mei said as she showed the basket.

Azúcar's eyebrow raised. "That's all?"

"I didn't want to kill any animals, so this is the best substitute," Mei explained.

A slight groan escaped Azúcar's mouth. "Very well, have it your way."

Then Azúcar dropped the firewood and attempted to light it. While Mei offered to help, Azúcar shrugged her off and got a small flame ignited by rubbing two flint stones.

To be continued…


	88. Stage 88: The Sleeping Giant (Part 1)!

**_In this chapter and the next, I'm going to be retelling the events in_** **The Last Bastion** ** _Overwatch Short with some changes here and there. Hope you like it!_**

Stage 88: The Sleeping Giant (Part 1)!

The next day, Mei got up early to make breakfast which consisted of bird eggs she found in a nearby nest and berries from some neighboring bushes. When she was done, Mei went to wake up Azúcar but was surprised to discover an empty tent. Concerned, she walked over to Tracer's tent and found her snoring in a splayed position.

"Tracer!" Mei cried.

In response, Tracer stopped snoring and got up. "Wh-What?"

"Azúcar is gone."

Surprised, Tracer activated the Chronal Accelerator. After getting dressed, she looked around the campsite and found a faint set of footprints heading in a northeast direction.

"Why did she leave camp?" Mei asked nervously.

"I don't know," Tracer responded. "But I'm going to find out."

Then Tracer Blinked off into the woods without heading any of Mei's warnings about getting lost and encountering wild animals. Following the footprints, Tracer came along a small stream which she easily crossed and then an upward slope. As her stomach growled she searched around for anything to eat and came across some mushrooms.

"They're not colorful," Tracer noted as she picked one up. "So it must be edible."

Eating the mushroom in one gulp, Tracer's mouth reacted as a funny taste followed. Ignoring it, she ate the other mushrooms and continued uphill. The footprints became fainter, and Tracer started to feel dizzy. Then suddenly, the trees became blurry and the grass became greener. Fascinated, Tracer kept staring at the ground until she bumped into something. Looking up, Tracer noticed a tree standing right in front of her and looked at all the lines in the bark with ants crawling along it.

"Hello, luvs," Tracer mumbled. "Do you know where Azúcar went?"

No reply came.

"I see," Tracer nodded. "Guess she must be that way."

Stumbling past the tree, Tracer continued to wander around admiring the sudden brightness of the sunlight filtering in and flinching at the sound of bird chirps which seemed louder than usual.

"Quiet, you!" Tracer said, looking up at a yellow bird that sat on a branch. "You're distracting me from my task!"

The bird chirped in response and flew away.

"Hey, get back here!" Tracer shouted, and unintentionally activated the Chronal Accelerator.

She Blinked into another tree and hit it really hard. This not only gave Tracer a massive headache, but also her feet gave way as she started rolling down the side of the slope.

###

A few hours later, Tracer woke up feeling sick. She noticed a massive thing standing over her that was covered in green moss. There was a flash of yellow and the same bird she saw earlier started swooping down at her head.

"Oi, what's the big idea?" Tracer murmured as she tried to get up, but her legs felt like jelly.

Then a terrible sensation in her stomach made Tracer Blink to the nearest bush and throw up. It was the most agonizing few moments of her life, but she survived. Laying down on her back and still feeling groggy, Tracer glanced over at the thing she was sleeping next to. Its shape was hard to discern underneath the moss, but somehow familiar. As for the yellow bird, it was now busy building a nest on the thing's presumed shoulder.

"So that's why you attacked me," Tracer realized. "You were defending your home."

Ignoring Tracer, the bird started to peck at something. Some moss fell off, and yet the bird continued pecking relentlessly. Tracer was tempted to sleep off the remaining sickness she felt, but was startled by a sudden rumble. Looking at the bird, she saw it fly away from the thing which started to move. As more moss fell away, Tracer's eyes widened as she got up and Blinked behind a nearby tree.

 _That can't be_ , Tracer thought as she watched the thing look around with its blue robotic eye. _I thought all the Bastions were destroyed after the Omnic Crisis ended_.

The thing that Tracer recognized as a Bastion settled its gaze on the yellow bird. Unafraid, the bird flew down and settled on the Bastion's gun-shaped arm. For a long time, the Bastion stared at the bird but did nothing.

 _It's not doing anything_ , Tracer observed. _But I'd rather not take my chances._

Blinking from the glade, Tracer had to retrace her steps back to camp. She got turned around a couple of times, but eventually found the campsite. To her surprise, Azúcar was there along with Mei who looked concerned.

"What took you so long?" Mei asked.

"We have to find the other students and get out of this forest immediately," Tracer said urgently.

Mei and Azúcar gave Tracer confused looks.

"Why should we do that?" Azúcar replied snidely.

"I just saw a Bastion reactivate itself!" Tracer responded. "I'm not sure how it got here, but we have to leave now."

While Mei looked surprised, Azúcar laughed.

"Nice try, Tracer," Azúcar said after wiping the tears from her eyes. "But do you really expect us to believe that?"

"But what if she's right?" Mei said nervously. "The Omnics did attack Stuttgart during the Omnic Crisis, before Overwatch drove them back. Maybe a Bastion retreated to this place so no one would find it."

"A likely story," Azúcar said out of disbelief. "According to Overwatch's official records, all the remaining Bastions were shut down and dismantled."

Mei gave Azúcar a suspicious look. "How would you know that?"

"It was in a book I read," Azúcar claimed.

"Well, regardless, I'm not sticking around," Tracer said as she approached her tent.

"Perhaps we should call Ana first," Mei suggested, holding up a handheld communicator.

" _Sí_ (Yes)," Azúcar agreed. "Then she can confirm whether Tracer's story is true or not."

Nodding in agreement, Mei pressed a button on the communicator and pressed her ear to it. She called Ana's name several times, and shook her head.

"What's wrong?" Tracer wondered.

"The communicator's not working," Mei said as she put it away. "All I heard was static, and nothing else."

"Perhaps the signal is weak here," Tracer guessed. "If we move to higher ground, the communicator might work better."

Mei shrugged. "It's worth a shot."

So the three packed their tents and stomped out the ashes that remained of last night's fire. Satisfied, they trekked along the stream Tracer found earlier until they came to a large waterfall with a big log bridged across it. There they rested until a steady pair of metallic footsteps caught their attention, forcing them to hide behind a large boulder. Looking up at the waterfall, Tracer saw the moss-covered Bastion make its way steadily across the log bridge without breaking it as the bird flew alongside. She looked back at Mei, who had a horror-stricken face while Azúcar seemed intrigued.

"Now do you believe me?" Tracer insisted, once the Bastion was gone.

Silently, Mei looked down.

"Let's follow it," Azúcar said, drawing Tracer and Mei's attention. "Then we'll know where it's going and figure out the best strategy to—

"Are you crazy?" Mei grabbed Azúcar by the straps of her shirt. "If that thing spots us, we're done for! So I think we should try to contact Ana as soon as we get a better signal, and if that doesn't work we'll head for Stuttgart."

"But the other students might get attacked while we're doing that, and we'll have no way to warn them," Tracer said, but Mei didn't seem convinced. "If it'll make you feel better, we won't attack the Bastion unless we have to."

Mei looked at Azúcar and sighed. "Fine, but I'm still going to try getting in touch with Ana."

After Mei let go of Azúcar's shirt, she and Tracer started to climb up the waterfall with Azúcar following behind. In her left hand, she held a small device with a beeping red light and smiled.

To be continued…


	89. Stage 89: The Sleeping Giant (Part 2)!

Stage 89: The Sleeping Giant (Part 2)!

"Sounds like you ate some psychedelic mushrooms," Mei said after Tracer finished explaining how she found the Bastion which was currently resting with the bird in the glen below them. "Though I'm surprised you were able to recover pretty quickly."

"I think it was the fear of seeing the Bastion," Tracer replied.

"So why were you so afraid?" Azúcar asked. "I've heard you're an Omnic lover."

"Omnics and Bastions are two different things," Tracer insisted. "While the former are intelligent beings with possible souls, the latter are mindless killing machines."

"True, though the Bastion we've been following these past two days hasn't harmed anything yet," Mei pointed out as she poked the campfire with a stick. "It seems to enjoy the company of the animals, especially Ganymede."

Tracer's eyebrow raised. "Ganymede?"

"That yellow bird who keeps following the Bastion," Mei answered. "It seems attracted to the machine, like a magnet, and Ganymede is the only moon in the entire Solar System to have a magnetic field."

"Ugh," Azúcar groaned. "Is there anything you're _not_ nerdy about?"

In response, Mei huffed and adjusted her glasses. "You are terrible."

"It was meant to be a joke," Azúcar explained. "Lighten up!"

"Easier said than done," Mei said coldly. "I'm going to bed."

Then after Mei went into her tent, Tracer and Azúcar did the same after putting out the fire.

###

Later the next day, the three were trekking up a steep slope when a series of loud booming noises caught their attention. They looked to their right and saw several trees falling further down the valley below.

"That must be the Bastion!" Tracer said as the Chronal Accelerator glowed on her chest. "I hope no one's down there."

Before Mei could protest, Tracer had Blinked down the slope. She followed the Bastion's footprints and eventually came to a demolished clearing. The Bastion stood in the middle of it with his robotic eye having gone from blue to red. But then in a split second, the Bastion's eye changed back to its original color and it looked around in confusion. Fortunately, it did not see Tracer who was hidden behind a felled tree and continued walking forward.

 _I don't see the bird anywhere_ , Tracer realized. _Maybe the Bastion killed it_.

Concerned, Tracer Blinked back to Mei and Azúcar.

###

Leading them to the clearing, Mei examined the area carefully while Azúcar kept looking down at something.

"We should get going," Azúcar said anxiously. "Or we'll lose the Bastion's trail."

"Hold on a minute," Mei stated. "Listen."

The three held their breaths as a soft pecking sound broke through the silence.

"Is that Ganymede?" Tracer asked.

Mei shook her head. "No, it's just a woodpecker."

"So what?" Azúcar shrugged. "Shouldn't it be dead along with all the other animals that were probably killed during the Bastion's rampage?"

"I'm not sure if I would call this a rampage," Mei said. "Otherwise, we would be seeing bullet-ridden carcasses lying around."

"She has a good point," Tracer agreed, examining the ground. "And there doesn't seem to be signs of a camp either."

"Well, if you both are so smart, then care to explain why a Bastion would destroy an empty clearing?" Azúcar said glancing at the beeping red light on the device she held.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Mei remarked, hearing the woodpecker again.

Not finding anything significant, the three continued to follow the Bastion's footprints.

###

That night, Mei tried once again to call Ana on the communicator. Still hearing nothing but static, she cursed in Chinese and put it away.

"I don't understand," Mei murmured as she joined Tracer and Azúcar by the fire. "This communicator doesn't seem to work no matter how many times I try."

"Maybe it's broken," Tracer suggested.

Mei sighed. "Then why would Ana give it to us?"

"Perhaps she didn't test the communicators before handing them out," Azúcar said.

"That's not like her," Mei objected. "Plus, this communicator is brand-new so it should work."

"Then what are you suggesting?" Azúcar asked.

"Either our communicator is defective due to poor manufacturing, or someone sabotaged it."

A heavy silence followed.

"You can't be serious," Azúcar said after a pause. "Who would sabotage _our_ communicator, and for what purpose?"

"I can't say for certain, but whoever it is certainly doesn't want us to get in touch with Ana."

###

After enduring a restless sleep Mei decided to leave her tent and take a walk. But to protect herself, she decided to take the Endothermic Blaster. A cold mountain wind greeted her, but Mei didn't seem to mind as she looked up at the sky and saw the stars shining brightly. The sides of Mei's mouth curved into a smile until she heard voices. Locating their source, Mei crept over to some bushes and peeked through them. On the other side was Azúcar, who was speaking in Spanish to someone behind a tree who spoke the same language. Recalling the languages she learned a long time ago, Mei was able to discern what they were saying.

" ** _¿Lo has encontrado todavía?_** (Have you found it yet?)" asked the menacing voice from behind the tree.

" _Si, pero sigue alejándose de nosotros_ (Yes, but it keeps moving away from us)," Azúcar replied in a bitter tone.

" ** _¿Sabes por qué?_** (Do you know why?)"

" _Ni idea_ (Not a clue)."

" ** _¿Usted puso el rastreador en él?_** (Did you put the tracker on it?)"

" _Por supuesto lo hice_ (Of course I did)."

A distinct growl followed. " ** _No intentes mi paciencia ahora, Sombra_** (Don't try my patience now, Sombra)."

Hearing that made a small _gasp_ escape Mei's throat.

Azúcar looked over at the bushes in front of her and said, " _Parece que tenemos un invited inesperado_ (It seems we have an unexpected guest)."

Realizing Azúcar was referring to her, Mei attempted to bolt for Tracer's tent when she felt something zap her Endothermic tank causing the liquid ice inside to burst out.

To be continued…


	90. Stage 90: Decisive Moment!

Stage 90: Decisive Moment!

By the time Tracer got up, it was almost noon. Confused, she got out of her tent and noticed a frozen statue of Mei standing near the campsite.

"Great Scott!" Tracer exclaimed as she ran over to Mei. "How did this happen?"

Cautiously, Tracer tapped on Mei's cheek. When nothing happened, she went over to Azúcar's tent. To her surprise, it was empty.

"Oh, great!" Tracer groaned. "First the mushrooms, and now this!"

After getting a fire going, Tracer picked up a large branch and lit it. Next, she waved the flaming branch around Mei's feet. This caused them to no longer be frozen to the ground, allowing Tracer to pick Mei up and put her next to the fire. Then Tracer watched as the intense heat of the flames slowly melted the liquid ice. Once Mei was free, she collapsed onto the ground but Tracer Recalled and caught her mid-fall.

"Thanks, Tracer," Mei said shivering slightly. "You saved me."

"No problem," Tracer replied. "So what happened?"

"I couldn't sleep last night, and went outside," Mei began, putting her hands close to the fire. "There were voices, so I investigated it and overheard a conversation between Azúcar and someone else."

"Did you see the other person?" Tracer asked as she pulled out an extra blanket from her tent and draped it over Mei's shoulders.

"No," Mei murmured. "But what they were saying shocked me more."

"Why?"

"Azúcar…is nothing more than an alias for the infamous hacker Sombra."

Tracer's eyes widened. "Didn't you encounter her during the Detention Center break-in?"

"Yes, but I didn't recognize her with the skull makeup on."

"What did she do to you?"

"I don't know. The last thing I remember is the tank for my Endothermic Blaster breaking, causing the liquid ice inside it to completely cover my body."

"Has that ever happened before?"

"Not until now," Mei said shaking her head. "Sombra must've used her Hack ability to cause the tank to malfunction."

"Hack ability?"

"She has these weird nails that shoot electrical wires out of them, and anything they touch automatically stops working."

"Could Sombra have used that power to sabotage the communicator?"

"Probably."

"Any idea where she went?"

"After the Bastion, I think," Mei guessed. "The guy Sombra spoke to asked about it."

"Maybe he was a Talon agent."

"Most likely, given that she's aided them before."

"But what would Talon want with a Bastion?"

"I'm not sure, though it can't be good."

"Right," Tracer stated and patted Mei's shoulders. "Now you stay here and warm up. I'm going after Sombra."

Before Tracer could Blink, Mei grabbed her arm. "Be careful. I would hate to lose you."

"Don't worry," Tracer assured. "I'll be back soon!"

###

At the edge of the forest, Sombra watched as the Bastion stepped onto an open field with waves of tall grass that stretched for miles up to a cluster of shining skyscrapers.

"This isn't good," Sombra muttered out loud. "If it reaches Stuttgart, Gabe will get mad at me for sure."

Activating her Stealth camouflage, Sombra dashed toward the Bastion and reached to touch the back of its head when it stopped. She stood perfectly still as the Bastion looked back toward the forest and then continued to move forward. Relieved, Sombra crept up to the Bastion once more. Then something else caught the Bastion's attention, forcing it to stop again. As the Stealth camouflage wore off, Sombra noticed the rusted remains of another Bastion lying at the Bastion's feet. Further ahead, there were more fallen Bastions, prompting the active Bastion to take a wire from its head and plug it into the one below it.

 _It's downloading the other's data_ , Sombra realized as a smirk crept across her face. _This is my chance to Hack it from the inside!_

"Hands up!"

Surprised, Sombra glanced over her shoulder and saw Tracer armed with the Pulse Pistols.

"You caught up to me sooner than I expected," Sombra said as she raised her arms. "Is Mei doing all right?"

"She's still recovering from being frozen," Tracer replied angrily. "No thanks to you."

"I had no choice," Sombra claimed. "My boss was watching, so I could not disappoint him."

"That doesn't excuse your actions! Now why do you want the Bastion?"

"I'm not telling."

"Then I'll have to force the answer out of you."

Before Tracer could get closer to Sombra, the Bastion's wire suddenly detached from the fallen Bastion. Concerned, Tracer lay down in the tall grass while Sombra disappeared. With its gun-arm erect, the standing Bastion marched steadily toward Stuttgart as several chirping sounds caught Tracer's attention. She looked up and saw a familiar yellow bird fly overhead.

 _It's Ganymede!_ Tracer realized. _It wasn't killed by the Bastion, after all._

As the bird landed on the Bastion's gun-arm, Tracer noticed Sombra reappear. Quickly, she Blinked toward Sombra and tackled her to the ground. The two rolled around in the grass fighting one another as the Bastion stopped to look down at Ganymede. It carried a stick in its beak and looked up at the Bastion whose eye was back to being red. For a long time, the Bastion didn't move as its eye flickered between red and blue. Then as its eye settled on blue, the Bastion picked up Ganymede's stick and placed it on the shoulder where the nest was.

Meanwhile, Tracer managed to pin Sombra down and watched as the Bastion started to walk back toward the forest away from Stuttgart. "Seems the Bastion has chosen to be with its new best friend."

"But I can still track it," Sombra reminded Tracer, holding up the device she had been carrying the whole time.

Just then, Ganymede flew around the Bastion's head and noticed a skull-shaped pin that was stuck on the back of its shoulder. Furiously, the bird pecked at the pin until it erupted into sparks. When this happened, the blinking red light on Sombra's device went out causing her to look surprised.

"Not anymore, I guess," Tracer responded. "Now let's get to Stuttgart so we can get in touch with Ana and figure out what she's going to do with you."

Angered, Sombra kicked Tracer in the chest which made her fall backwards. Concerned, Tracer looked down at the Chronal Accelerator which wasn't damaged but Sombra had now vanished leaving Tracer alone in the open field.

To be continued…


	91. Stage 91: Searching and Moving Forward!

Stage 91: Searching and Moving Forward!

Unsure of where Sombra went, Tracer decided to head back to camp where Mei was still huddled by the fire. Together, they packed their things including Sombra's and retraced their steps back to the clearing where Ana dropped them off. It took several days, but they managed to find some fellow students who had been looking for them under Ana's orders. Then a communicator call later, the shuttle-plane came flying down to pick Tracer and Mei up along with their escort. The ride trip back to Numbani was silent and it wasn't until they were back at the school that Ana pulled aside Tracer and Mei for questioning.

"Where is Azúcar?" Ana demanded.

Tracer looked at Mei, who nodded, and said, "We'd like to speak to Soldier: 76 as well."

Ana's one eye blinked. "What for?"

"It's about Azúcar," Mei explained. "I may have made a terrible mistake."

###

In Soldier: 76's office, Tracer and Mei talked about their encounter with the Bastion and discovering Azúcar's true identity. Soldier: 76 and Ana listened carefully, though they seemed concerned when Tracer described how Sombra got away. Then Tracer and Mei were sent back to their dorms while Soldier: 76 and Ana stayed behind.

" _There are only two places Sombra could have gone,_ " Soldier: 76 estimated. " _Stuttgart, or the Black Forest to continue following the Bastion._ "

"I'll take Reinhardt with me," Ana said. "He knows the land better than I do."

" _Fine,_ " Soldier: 76 nodded. " _I'll tell Brigitte so she can substitute for Reinhardt's classes._ "

###

Two weeks had passed, and Ana didn't have any luck finding Sombra in Stuttgart while Reinhardt couldn't locate the Bastion either.

" _Either he's well-hidden, or Talon managed to get to him before us,_ " Reinhardt reported through Soldier: 76's holographic screen.

" _Well, keep looking,_ " Soldier: 76 said. " _The Bastion must be destroyed at all costs._ "

" _Are you sure about that?_ " Ana asked on an adjoining screen from Reinhardt's. " _Based on what girls described, this Bastion seemed pretty docile unless something disturbed it._ "

" _But that doesn't mean it isn't dangerous,_ " Soldier: 76 argued. " _And Talon knows this, so we can't let them have it._ "

" _Understood!_ " Reinhardt saluted. " _I'll double my search efforts by tenfold and let you know of any new developments that may arise._ "

Then Reinhardt's face blinked from the holographic screen while Ana's remained.

" _Is it possible that Sombra rendezvoused with the same Talon agent she spoke to in the forest at Stuttgart?_ " Soldier: 76 asked Ana.

" _It is a possibility,_ " Ana said thoughtfully. " _There's been reports of a hooded man lurking in the shadows and a young woman with strange skin._ "

Soldier: 76's brow furrowed. " _That sounds like Reaper and Widowmaker._ "

" _Same,_ " Ana responded. " _Should I apprehend them too?_ "

" _No, that would be too risky. I'll see if Winston's free and have him meet you in Stuttgart._ "

" _But he's busy monitoring orbital satellites, Jack, including the one for Project Recall._ "

" _So?_ "

" _If those satellites aren't monitored daily, that could make them more vulnerable to hackers._ "

Realizing the weight of the situation, Soldier: 76 sighed. " _That would be problematic, now that Sombra's loose in the world._ "

" _Exactly,_ " Ana agreed.

" _Keep a lookout for Widowmaker and Reaper, but don't engage them in combat._ "

" _And if they meet up with Sombra?_ "

" _Let me and Reinhardt know immediately._ "

" _Acknowledged._ "

After Ana's face vanished from the screen, Soldier: 76 was enveloped in darkness.

###

"Ugh!" D. Va grumbled as she sat across from Tracer and Mei during dinner. "This sucks!"

"What does?" Tracer asked.

"We're losing club members left and right, and we still haven't done a Fundraiser yet!"

"It's not a big deal," Tracer assured. "We'll do the Fundraiser during the next Hero Bash Tournament, and use it to bring more members to our club."

"Do you have any ideas?" Mei wondered.

Tracer and D. Va paused, making awkward faces.

"I'll take that as a 'no'. As President of the Science Club, I'm not allowed to join other clubs but I can give you suggestions."

"Such as?" Tracer leaned closer to hear Mei.

Mei took a sip of her oolong tea and said, "Since your club revolves around video games, why not hold a video game tournament and charge people to play?"

"No can do," D. Va protested. "Video gamers tend to like free games over ones that require money to play. Plus, we would have to get permission from the game company to promote their product if we're planning to charge people."

"Maybe the video game tournament should be free-to-play, but the snacks and drinks we provide will have to be paid for," Tracer offered, causing D. Va and Mei to look at her. "Unless you had something else in mind."

"Actually, that's a great idea," D. Va smiled. "I knew making you my Vice President was the right call!"

Then D. Va hugged Tracer, which surprised her so much that she nearly fell out of her chair.

###

Later, after D. Va had gone straight to bed Mei decided to call Tracer.

" _Hello, luv,_ " Tracer said on the other end, sounding tired. " _Still doing makeup homework?_ "

"Unfortunately, yes," Mei replied, looking at the stack of books she had on her desk.

" _That's a bummer,_ " Tracer responded sympathetically. " _Wish we didn't have to do this._ "

"But we went on that wild goose chase to find the Bastion, and now we must suffer the consequences of our actions."

" _I suppose, though I wish we didn't have to keep secrets from D. Va._ "

"Ana and Soldier: 76 made it perfectly clear that the real identity of Azúcar must not be known lest it reach the general public and cause more mistrust in our school."

" _Yeah but if D. Va can keep what happened to Lúcio a secret, then couldn't she do the same about Som—_

"Quiet! Our phones might be tapped, so be careful what you say."

" _Okay, then I guess we'll talk later._ "

Hearing Tracer hang up, Mei put her cellphone down and looked at a snow-globe that was situated on her desk. It depicted a high-tech facility with several buildings attached including a tower, a radar dish, and a round observation deck.

"Soon I'll be going back there," Mei said to herself as she shook the globe causing the snow inside to swirl around the facility. "That place I was reminded of when Sombra froze me, which will continue to haunt my dreams unless the departed are paid their due."

To be continued…


	92. Stage 92: Unexpected Visit!

Stage 92: Unexpected Visit!

While Tracer was heading to class, she heard something fly overhead. To her surprise, it was Pharah wearing the Raptora Mark VI suit.

 _Did she fly all the way from Watchpoint: Grand Mesa in that?_ Tracer wondered as she Blinked over to the soccer field where Pharah was landing. _If so, that's totally wicked!_

Once Pharah had landed and removed her bird-shaped helmet, she noticed Tracer and sighed.

"Hello, luv!" Tracer said excitedly. "What brings you here?"

"I would like to speak to Soldier: 76," Pharah responded with a straight face. "Do you know where he is?"

"Usually he's in his office," Tracer answered, scratching the back of her neck.

"Thanks," Pharah nodded and walked away.

Taken aback, Tracer prepared to Blink again but noticed that the Chronal Accelerator's light was dim. Instead, she shouted, "Want to catch up on things after you're done talking to Soldier: 76?"

"Sure, if I have time," Pharah replied.

###

In his office, Soldier: 76 was looking at satellite images of the Black Forest when the door suddenly opened.

" _Pharah,_ " Soldier: 76 observed, watching as she struggled to get through the door in her armored suit. " _Didn't expect to see you so soon._ "

"Neither did I," Pharah said as she pulled out a badge containing the letters 'H' and 'S' on it. "But Helix Security International has instructed me to ask you a few questions."

" _About what?_ "

"The theft of an experimental weapon from Watchpoint: Grand Mesa two years ago," Pharah stated. "It happened right after the Overwatch Headquarters in Switzerland exploded, though the thief was never caught."

" _So the news reports said._ "

"And if I recall, you were absent during that time as well."

" _I was mourning the loss of a friend._ "

"Are you referring to Gabe, aka Ghost?"

" _Yes._ "

"Then explain this." Pharah pulled a flash-drive from a hidden wrist compartment and plugged it into a port that was attached to Soldier: 76's desk.

On the holographic computer-screen appeared a file labeled 'Grand Mesa Security Footage' and a date. Nervously, Soldier: 76 clicked on the file which showed various camera angles of a facility that was covered in shadow with various guards posted. Then in a matter of seconds, the guards were taken out by an unseen force. The last camera angle showed a glass case containing a large rifle-shaped weapon, which was approached by a shadowy figure. Next, the figure broke the glass case and picked up the rifle. Aiming it at the camera, the figure's single red eye was seen before the rifle fired a beam of light followed by static.

"The footage was sent to us by an unknown source, and I was hoping you could use Athena to verify its authenticity," Pharah explained while Soldier: 76 was speechless.

" _Couldn't Helix have checked the footage themselves?_ " Soldier: 76 asked after a pause.

"Our computers are not as sophisticated as Athena, and maybe she can figure out who sent the footage in the first place."

" _Right,_ " Soldier: 76 said as he took the flash-drive from the desk port. " _Though I'm pretty sure Sombra sent this footage to frame me for a crime I didn't commit._ "

Pharah's eyebrow raised. "Nobody's accusing you of any crime yet, but the person in the footage _does_ look like you and the weapon you've been wielding lately resembles the stolen weapon."

" _So what're you here for?_ "

"To determine if the footage is real or not."

" _If that's the case, why didn't you see Winston? He understands Athena better than I do._ "

"I tried contacting him, but he's apparently too 'busy' at the moment. So I thought you could check the footage in his place."

" _Well, I'll try,_ " Soldier: 76 said as he gripped the flash-drive. " _But I can't guarantee the results of Athena's scan._ "

"At least it'll be closer to the truth, and that's all that matters."

Then Pharah left as quickly as she had come, while Soldier: 76 copied the file onto his computer.

###

" _How could this have happened?_ " Soldier: 76 demanded with his fist clenched. " _You told me the security footage was deleted, Ms. Adawe._ "

" _That's what I thought,_ " Gabrielle Adawe said coldly from the holographic screen. " _But it seems the hacker we hired to erase the footage was nothing more than another alias used by Sombra._ "

Soldier: 76 grumbled. " _When were you going to tell me?_ "

" _As soon as your agents apprehended her._ "

" _That doesn't make sense._ "

" _Neither does your inability to find Sombra or the Bastion robot._ "

" _We're doing the best we can._ "

" _It's been a month, Jack. You're no closer to catching them then you were before._ "

" _Then what should I do?_ "

" _Keep searching, and consider looking beyond Germany's borders. Also, have Athena scan the security footage to make sure it is real and then create a false report for the Helix representative should she return._ "

" _Yes, ma'am,_ " Soldier: 76 said solemnly.

###

"Create a false report?" Winston adjusted his glasses. "But Athena isn't programmed to lie."

" _Well, make it happen,_ " Soldier: 76 said on Winston's computer screen in his room at Watchpoint: Gibraltar. " _Sombra stole some important security footage while pretending to work for the UN, and now Helix Security suspects Overwatch of being involved in the experimental weapons theft that took place at Watchpoint: Grand Mesa._ "

"Oh, yes, I remember hearing about that. Do they suspect one of our agents to be the culprit?"

Reluctantly, Soldier: 76 nodded.

"Do you have the footage, by chance?"

" _On this flash-drive a representative of Helix Security gave to me,_ " Soldier: 76 responded. " _She asked me to run it through Athena's lie-detecting system._ "

"And what did Athena say?"

" _She's convinced the footage is real._ "

"Hmm," Winston sighed. "Let me take a look, and I'll see what I can do."

" _Fine, but promise me that you'll never tell another person regarding the content of this flash-drive._ "

"Yes, sir, I promise," Winston saluted.

" _Good._ _I'll be expecting a report from you soon._ "

After Soldier: 76's face vanished, an encrypted file appeared in Winston's email. Once he decrypted it, Winston watched the security footage with his eyes widening.

To be continued…


	93. Stage 93: Abduction!

Stage 93: Abduction!

By the time Winter Break rolled around, Tracer was eager to go back to Hollywood as Winston promised he would visit during that time. But when she met him at the airport, Tracer noticed Winston looked upset.

"Oi!" Tracer waved. "What's with the long face?"

"It's nothing," Winston said. "Just a side-project I've been working on has got me run down."

"Oh, I see."

Neither spoke afterward as they exited the airport. Outside, Soldier: 76 was waiting for them next to a yellow cab.

While Winston and Soldier: 76 embraced, Tracer thought, _Winston's hiding something, but I don't know what it is._

###

Despite her best efforts, though, Tracer could not get Winston to tell her whatever secret he was keeping. Even Soldier: 76 didn't say anything, which made Tracer suspect they were in on it together. Then on the day before Christmas, Soldier: 76 was staying at home while Tracer and Winston went to see the new Alfred Glitchbot movie _Some Like It Bot_ when several abrupt knocks came from the door. Surprised by this, Soldier: 76 dashed over to the peephole. Through that, he saw two men in armored suits that were similar to Pharah's Raptora Mark VI and they both carried rocket-launchers.

Sighing heavily, Soldier: 76 unlocked the door and opened it. "Can I help you?"

"Mister Morrison, I presume," said one of the armored men.

When Soldier: 76 nodded, the other man stated, "We have evidence that you're in possession of a stolen weapon belonging to Helix Security. Now if you'll come with us quietly, we can settle this matter more efficiently."

"And if I refuse?" Soldier: 76 asked as he folded his arms.

"Then we'll have to take you by force," the first man said as he held his rocket-launcher up.

Soldier: 76 flinched. "The UN won't stand for this once they find out."

"All the more reason to confess your crimes with us instead of telling it to the public," responded the second man as he took a pair of handcuffs from a hidden compartment in his suit. "They'll surely distrust your organization after that."

Unable to speak, Soldier: 76 dashed back into the house and wrote something down on a piece of paper just as the two men came up behind and grabbed him.

###

Later that evening, Tracer and Winston were surprised to not only find the door unlocked but also Soldier: 76 was nowhere to be seen. The two searched until Tracer found a crumpled note.

"'They found out. Call Adawe.'" Tracer read. Then she turned to Winston, "Does this mean anything to you?"

"Yes," Winston said solemnly as he took the note from Tracer's hand.

"Did something happen to Jack?" Tracer asked nervously.

"I think so, judging by the unlocked door and this note."

"Is he in trouble?"

"Most likely, and it's possibly my fault."

Tracer's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

Winston briefly adjusted his glasses and then said, "It all has to do with this 'side-project' Jack had me working on."

"How so?"

"If I tell you, you'll have to promise to never tell anyone about it."

"Even Jack?"

"Especially him, since he told me to keep my mouth shut when I took on the project."

"Then maybe you shouldn't say anything."

"Perhaps, but you're clearly troubled by Jack's absence and so I figure it'll ease your mind and mine if you knew."

"Well, okay, then. I swear I won't talk."

Satisfied, Winston pulled up two chairs for himself and Tracer.

###

Once she heard the full explanation, Tracer immediately Recalled to when she found the note and didn't pick it up.

 _So Jack's weapon, the Heavy Pulse Rifle, was originally taken from Helix Security's base at Watchpoint: Grand Mesa by him under orders from Adawe to prove they were making experimental weapons behind the UN's back,_ Tracer recollected as she watched Winston find the note instead and walk upstairs to his room with it. _But then why would Jack keep the weapon instead of give it to the UN?_

In his room, Winston called Gabrielle Adawe on the CommLink which was used by Overwatch agents and important figures in the UN.

" _What is it, Winston?_ " Gabrielle asked groggily. " _Do you realize what time it is?_ "

"I do, but it's very urgent," Winston said sternly. "It seems Soldier: 76 was kidnapped by Helix Security while Tracer and I were out of the house."

There was a pause on the other end. " _Then it seems your false report didn't fool them. Care to explain that?_ "

"Athena was only able to bend the truth slightly, but not tell a complete lie. I made that clear to Jack at the time when he gave me the assignment."

" _No excuses, Winston! You botched the job, and now Jack's paying for it!_ "

Winston said nothing, and Gabrielle sighed.

" _But there is a way to save Jack, and I'll need your help._ "

"What is it that you want me to do?"

" _Connect to the Helix Security network at Watchpoint: Grand Mesa, find where they're interrogating Jack, and transmit my face-cam recordings to their computer._ "

"Got it."

As Winston hung up, he took off his glasses and looked at a picture of his former caretaker.

###

In a dark room with one light shining down, Soldier: 76 was cuffed to a chair while an Egyptian man in indigo-colored armor sat across from him with a holographic table between them.

"Nice to see you again, Khalil," Soldier: 76 said half-heartedly. "Though I wish we could've met under better circumstances."

"Same here, Jack," the Egyptian man said, twirling his curly mustache. "So let's get straight to the point: what led you to steal one of our weapons and keep it as your own?"

"Unless the thing was licensed, the Heavy Pulse Rifle isn't legally _your_ weapon."

"But it was designed and made by Helix, so it's technically ours by default."

"That may be true, though experimental weapons of that kind are illegal unless the UN approves of it."

"We were _going_ to get approval for it until you interfered!"

"Even though Helix had plenty of time to do so?"

"The UN doesn't care about our organization as much as yours! To them, we're just a bunch of muscle-bound morons who want to steal Overwatch's thunder as the main global protection agency in the world! But given the recent news coverage of Overwatch, it seems to me that you're not doing so great either."

Just then, the holographic table lit up as Gabrielle Adawe's shadowed face appeared.

To be continued…


	94. Stage 94: Punishments and Future Trips!

Stage 94: Punishments and Future Trips!

" _There is some truth to your words, Captain Khalil,_ " Gabrielle Adawe said as her image floated between Khalil and Soldier: 76 who were both speechless. " _And for reasons such as this, the UN would like Overwatch and Helix Security International to work together in defending our world against threats like Talon._ "

"But justice must be done, Ms. Adawe!" Khalil insisted. "Until Jack confesses to his crime, there will be no alliance between our groups."

" _Yet as far as I can tell, you've violated several constitutional rights by taking Jack into your custody without a proper warrant_ ," Gabrielle said firmly.

"We didn't have time to put it together."

" _Isn't that the same excuse you used to explain why you didn't get approval from the UN before creating the Heavy Pulse Rifle?_ "

Hearing that, Khalil froze.

" _Sorry for eavesdropping, but the truth is…I ordered Jack to investigate your weapons facility when you didn't give us any updates. He asked for permission first, but when no response came Jack stole the Heavy Pulse Rifle himself to prove Helix was making experimental weapons without UN approval._ "

"Is this true?" Khalil said to Soldier: 76, staring in disbelief.

Reluctantly, Soldier: 76 nodded.

" _Now I'm willing to overlook this incident if Helix agrees to send approvals to the UN regarding the Heavy Pulse Rifle and other experimental weapons and Jack tests every single one of them for military use._ "

"Why trust him to test the weapons when he stole one of them in the first place?" Khalil asked.

" _Do not worry, Captain,_ " Gabrielle assured. " _I'll keep a close eye on Jack to make sure he doesn't use the weapons for anything other than their intended purpose. Also, Jack!_ "

"Hm?" Soldier: 76 looked up at Gabrielle as she spoke to him.

" _Because of your reckless actions, I have no choice but to restrict your activities to Overwatch High School as well as any other agents that may be out on assignment._ "

Soldier: 76 was about to protest when Gabrielle's face vanished leaving him and Khalil just as silent as they were before.

###

The following morning, Tracer was relieved to see Soldier: 76 and Winston in the living-room when she came down from her room. She Blinked over and hugged them both before all three of them went to the living-room. After partaking in the usual Christmas activities such as exchanging presents and hanging out, Tracer and Winston went to bed while Soldier: 76 stayed up to make a call.

" _Is this about what I said to Khalil?_ " Gabrielle said before Soldier: 76 could speak.

"Not exactly," Soldier: 76 responded. "I just wanted you to answer something for me."

" _Which is?_ "

"Were you planning to have me arrested by Helix all along? That's why you had me keep the Heavy Pulse Rifle."

" _It was a necessary set-up to get them to cooperate with us and pick up your slack._ "

"We're doing the best we can, Ms. Adawe."

" _But not enough,_ " Gabrielle objected. " _Not only is Talon still a threat, but also there's the Bastion to contend with._ "

"It didn't harm anyone according to Tracer and Mei."

" _That doesn't mean it can't, though. So I'm having Helix resume the search for the Bastion._ "

"What about Sombra?"

" _Winston will be keeping an eye on her for now._ "

"Fine, but let me know if he finds out where she is."

" _Sure, but your punishment is still in effect._ "

Soldier: 76 grumbled.

" _I don't like doing this to you, Jack, but the UN isn't pleased with your lack of progress on certain matters._ "

Again, Soldier: 76 said nothing.

" _It's only a temporary measure, and then it'll be back to normal business._ "

"Things aren't normal anymore, Gabrielle. Not with people like Reaper still out there."

" _All the more reason to get your act together, Jack._ "

Then Gabrielle hung up, while Soldier: 76 instinctively touched the scar on his face.

###

As Winter Break ended and Spring Break began, Tracer found herself sharing a dorm with Mei, D. Va, and Zarya. This was arranged in order to make room for other students, but Tracer suspected it was also done to keep people from getting suspicious about the recent absences of Symmetra and Azúcar/Sombra.

 _If we had become friends sooner, Symmetra might still be here_ , Tracer thought before Survival 101 started. _But she probably would've found a way to arrest Lúcio by now, and that wouldn't have been good for him._

"Good afternoon," Ana said as she came into the classroom. "I assume your Winter Break was well-spent because starting next week you'll all be undergoing intense training for the next field trip we have planned."

"Hope it doesn't involve killer robots," a student joked.

The class went silent as Ana glared at the student with her one eye. "That was an unforeseen circumstance, but you all handled it well. Fortunately, there is a small chance you'll be encountering Bastions here."

Ana then pressed a button on her desk and pulled up a picture. It showed a tall glacier with waves lapping its sides.

"Where is that?" Tracer asked.

"Antarctica," Ana answered with a smirk.

While the rest of the class groaned, Tracer looked at Mei who seemed distraught.

###

"Oi, is something bothering you?" Tracer asked Mei after class.

"Just this trip," Mei reluctantly answered.

"Why's that? I thought you liked snow."

"Well, yes…and no."

Before Tracer could question her further, Mei walked away. Baffled, Tracer went back into the classroom and told Ana about Mei's reaction.

Frowning slightly, Ana said, "There is…a place in Antarctica that Mei has a history with."

"What's it called?"

"I'm not allowed to say. Private information, you see."

"Then should I ask Mei?"

"That would be preferable."

"Okay, thanks."

"Anytime."

###

The following month, Ana took the Survival 101 class in the shuttle-jet all the way down to Antarctica past the southern point of Africa and across the sea. During this, Tracer concentrated on Mei who looked more worried the closer they got to their destination.

 _I wish she would_ _tell me what's going on_ , Tracer thought. _But no matter how many times I tried, I couldn't get her to speak. Must be something really bad, then._

To be continued…


	95. Stage 95: Trapped in Ice!

Stage 95: Trapped in Ice!

At the drop-off point in Antarctica, Ana told the Survival 101 students they should stick together as one group instead of splitting up into several groups and that she would be back in three days like before.

"I'll bet it's because of what happened to us," Tracer said to Mei after Ana had left in the shuttle-jet.

"Yeah, probably," Mei mumbled.

"Still not doing great?" Tracer asked.

"Don't worry about me," Mei insisted as got her snow-shoes on. "I'll be fine."

###

Several hours later, the students were huddled inside their own tents while a strong wind blew outside. Inside her tent, Tracer was debating about whether or not to visit Mei.

 _She'll come over if she wants to_ , Tracer thought. _There's no need to pressure her._

As the night wore on, though, the wind grew stronger causing the tents to shake. Then some tents came loose, causing the students inside them to get up and run after them. But a few feet from camp, they were confronted by a large ice wall.

"Don't wander off!" Mei shouted, wielding her newly repaired Endothermic Blaster. "If you go too far, you'll get lost!"

In response, the students glared at her.

"I've been here before," Mei explained. "So I know."

"Then what should we do?" Tracer said, wearing a heavy brown winter coat. "The storm's getting worse, and I'm pretty sure none of us brought extra tents."

Mei paused and then looked off into the distance.

"There is one place that will shelter all of us," Mei muttered loudly. "Follow me when you're all ready to head out."

###

Once everyone was packed, the students followed Mei through a series of snow-covered plains until they came to a glacial cliff with a large facility built into it.

"What is this place?" Tracer wondered.

"Ecopoint: Antarctica," Mei answered. "I was stationed here 13 years ago."

Tracer looked at Mei in disbelief. "How old were you back then?"

"Sixteen," Mei said as she started walking toward the nearest building which was sealed by a glass door.

"But that would make you—

"Twenty-nine now," Mei interrupted. "There's a reason why I don't look that old."

Taking a key card out of her jacket-pocket, Mei unlocked the door and let everyone inside. Apart from a holographic table and a few control panels, there was also a screen depicting a tropical beach. While the students set their belongings down, Mei pressed a few buttons on the holographic screen which projected several images. Among these included pictures of Mei with her parents, a younger version of Mercy, and several men and women wearing matching blue winter jackets.

As Mei flipped through the images, she said, "After my parents died during the Omnic Crisis, I was taken to a private school in Switzerland. There, I met Mercy and we became close friends. Then we graduated early and were invited to join Overwatch's brand-new science division. While Mercy became a doctor, I decided to work at Ecopoint: Antarctica as a climatologist. It was originally created to study severe weather patterns in this area and develop weapons that could manipulate aspects of our planet's climate to prevent global warming."

"That's where your Endothermic Blaster and weather-drone came from, right?" Tracer asked.

"They were inspired by prototypes we created here, though their inner-workings are my own design," Mei explained. "Anyway, things seemed to be going pretty well until a bad storm hit us. We couldn't go outside and our supplies started to dwindle. Then as the days turned to weeks, it became clear we weren't going to survive for much longer. So we cryogenically froze ourselves until help would arrive, though it took ten years to happen. I was the first to be unfrozen, and left to attend Overwatch High after that."

"And the others?" Tracer saw Mei's face become contorted as she turned off the images.

"They were dead," Mei murmured.

After that, the room was silent.

###

Three days passed, and the storm didn't let up. Out of concern, Mei called Ana on a Communicator and told her where they were. Unfortunately, Ana wouldn't be able to find them unless they had some kind of beacon set up to show her the way. So Tracer Blinked outside to look for something to use when she found a series of cryogenic chambers with several names written on them: Adams, MacReady, Opara, Torres, and Arrhenius. Yet Tracer noticed one chamber that was open.

"That's mine," Mei said, appearing behind Tracer.

"So your real name is Mei-Ling Zhou," Tracer observed.

Mei nodded.

In turn, Tracer looked at the other chambers again. "Is this why you didn't want to come to Antarctica? Because of the bad memories?"

"Sort of. It reminds me of the life I once had that I'll never get back."

"I see what you mean. Every time I fly a jet…I'm reminded of my father's death."

After that, Tracer told Mei about the _Slipstream_ explosion and being lost in time until Doctor Winston invented the Chronal Accelerator for her to wear.

When Tracer was done talking, Mei let out a long sigh. "Wow, I'm not going to lie…but your story is really sad but inspiring at the same time."

"Could say the same about yours, though," Tracer admitted.

"Yeah, I guess we both went through a lot," Mei responded.

For a few moments, the two were silent. Then they looked around the chambers and found some battery cells and a spotlight. This gave Mei an idea, and she quickly headed back to the building with Tracer carrying the stuff. Once there, Mei instructed the students to charge the batteries using energy from the building while Tracer climbed onto the round observation deck and installed the spotlight there. After that, Mei defrosted an old cable with help from the students and used it to connect the spotlight and batteries. With the spotlight shining through the snowy gusts of wind, the shuttle-jet was able to find Ecopoint: Antarctica and land in front of the building.

"Wait," Mei said to Ana before she set in the coordinates for Numbani. "Before we go, there's one more thing I have to do."

To be continued…


	96. Stage 96: Amends and Revenge!

Stage 96: Amends and Revenge!

At the coast of Antarctica, Mei took out several folded paper lanterns from her inner coat-pocket. After lighting the candles inside them, she sent the lanterns floating out to sea while muttering the names of the scientists who died at the Ecopoint.

"I will miss all of you, and never forget the lessons you taught me," Mei said as she knelt on the snowy ground. "May your journey to the afterlife be safe, _zàijiàn_ (goodbye)."

While the paper lanterns drifted away, Mei felt tears rolling down her cheeks. She was comforted by Tracer, who helped her stand up. Together, they walked back to the shuttle-jet where Ana was waiting for them.

"Better?" Ana asked.

"Yes," Mei nodded as she dried her eyes. "Thank you."

"Good," Ana replied. "Now let's go home."

Onboard, Mei and Tracer were silent as the shuttle-jet took off into the sky.

When sometime had passed, Tracer asked, "By the way, who gave you that key-card that let you access the building we stayed in?"

"Mercy did," Mei said. "She had hoped I would return there someday."

"Guess she was right."

"Seems so."

###

Upon returning to Numbani, Tracer and Mei had to not only do makeup work but also complete assignments ahead of time because the second round of the Payload Competition was coming up. This time, though, it was going to be taking place in Dorado, an area in Veracruz, Mexico where the Festival de la Luz would be occurring.

"It's a celebration of the Omnic Crisis' end and the period of darkness that plagued much of Mexico when the country's power grid and infrastructure was destroyed," Mei explained to D. Va and Tracer during lunch. "But now there's a new company called LumériCo that's planning to create a string of power plants that will give the country clean energy again, and its CEO is former war hero and president of Mexico Guillermo Portero."

"Isn't he the guy that's being accused of corruption by the Los Muertos Gang?" D. Va asked between Dorrito chip bites.

"There has been some conflict over that matter," Mei admitted. "But nothing has been confirmed yet."

"Sounds dicey," Tracer said warily.

Then suddenly, D. Va's eyes widened. "Wait, didn't Azúcar say she was part of a gang on your way to the Black Forest?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Tracer looked at Mei, who gave her a nervous look.

"Well, there were rumors that she was originally a member of the Los Muertos Gang because of her facial tattoos and rude behavior," D. Va answered. "Maybe Azúcar went back to rejoin them in Dorado."

"That's…certainly possible," Mei stated nervously.

"Why are you guys acting so weird?" D. Va observed. "Is there something you know?"

"Not…really," Tracer responded as she noticed Ana heading their way.

The three girls became silent as Ana approached their table. "Just to let you three know: there will be a briefing on the next Payload after classes are over in the auditorium. If you're still interested in participating, be there."

"Right-o!" Tracer gave Ana a one-handed salute as she left.

"I hope we'll get to see the festival," D. Va smiled. "The media says it's going to be a blast!"

"Don't get your hopes up, though," Mei stated. "The Payload Competition will probably keep us busy, so we might miss it altogether."

"Aw, why must you ruin things?" D. Va grumbled.

"I'm only stating the most likely outcome based on previous experiences."

While the two bickered, Tracer looked at a TV screen which showed images of graffiti saying, 'Los Muertos' and several delinquents with skull-faced tattoos running from the police who were shooting at them.

Tracer clenched her fist. "If you think hiding with your old mates back home is safe, Sombra, you're wrong."

D. Va swayed her head toward Tracer. "Hmm?"

"Oh, blimey!" Tracer realized, looking at the clock. "I should be getting to class. I'll see you two later."

Then before Mei or D. Va could speak, Tracer Blinked out of the cafeteria.

###

" _All right, kids, here's the deal,_ " Soldier: 76 said to an auditorium full of students. " _The Payload for this upcoming competition is a truck with a fusion core in the back. Your objective will be to escort it to a ziggurat-shaped building to activate the power plant inside._ "

As Soldier: 76 spoke, several holographic images appeared showing cobblestone streets and adobe-style houses crowding around a large structure that was pyramid-like but more rectangular than triangular.

On an image displaying red and blue colors, Soldier: 76 continued, " _Like Watchpoint: Gibraltar, two teams will be working together instead of competing against one another._ "

"Again?" a student whined. "What's the point of calling it a competition, then?"

" _Because each team takes on a different role and whichever one serves it best wins the competition,_ " Soldier: 76 explained. " _At Watchpoint: Gibraltar, for instance, the Red Team won because they successfully escorted the Payload while putting up a decent fight against Talon._ "

"Plus, the Play of the Game was still in effect," Ana reminded. "And that honor went to Tracer for saving Lúcio from Widowmaker's gunfire."

Hearing that, Tracer blushed while D. Va gave her the stink eye.

" _So this is still a competition, but with different rules,_ " Soldier: 76 proclaimed. " _Now how many of you are interested in attending the Festival de la Luz?_ "

Several hands shot up in response.

" _Then don't bother coming,_ " Soldier: 76 said bluntly. " _We will be arriving before the festival starts, and leave once it's underway._ "

"Party pooper," D. Va muttered.

###

Later that night, Tracer was staying up late looking through various newspaper articles about the Los Muertos Gang.

"Light's Out is soon," Mei said as she opened the door to Tracer's room, wearing a two-piece pajama set that was blue with snowflakes on it. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Tracer replied as she closed her laptop.

"Don't lie to me, Tracer," Mei frowned. "You're planning to go after Sombra once we reach Dorado, right?"

Surprised, Tracer murmured, "How—

"You've been constantly asking Soldier: 76 about the search for her, and you were looking at the TV screen during lunch which was doing a story about the Los Muertos Gang."

"If she really was associated with them, then I'll bet they're hiding her from Overwatch and the UN," Tracer added.

"Even if that were true, it would be too risky to find her yourself."

"She nearly froze you to death."

"But I'm fine now."

"I still won't forgive her for what she did, though."

"That's no good reason to get revenge for _my_ sake!"

Then as the lights turned off automatically, Mei stared briefly at Tracer in the darkness before heading back to her room.

To be continued…


	97. Stage 97: Fight or Flight!

Stage 97: Fight or Flight!

Upon arriving in Dorado, the participating students were escorted to a large building that had a large statue of a man sitting in a big chair.

"This must be Guillermo Portero," Tracer said, looking down at the plaque beneath the statue.

"Isn't it a beautiful work of art?"

Surprised, Tracer backed away from the statue. "Who said that?"

"I did."

Then from behind the statue appeared a tall young woman wearing a white, gold, and blue dress and matching knee-length heeled boots. A white and gold helmet covered her head and eyes with a thin turquoise veil trailing behind it. But what caught Tracer's attention more was the woman's shiny cybernetic arm which had a gold ring encompassing the wrist.

"Symmetra?" Tracer guessed.

The woman paused and then stated, "My name is Oasis and Mister Portero sent me to oversee your progress in delivering the fusion core to the power plant in his place."

" _Is there a reason he couldn't be here himself?_ " Soldier: 76 asked, gazing at Oasis suspiciously.

"There were some…unexpected matters that had to be dealt with," Oasis claimed. "Portero also asked me to accompany the team who will be guarding the truck."

Hearing this, Soldier: 76 flinched. " _I was told there would be no extra burdens._ "

"I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself if need be," Oasis replied as she started walking toward the red truck that was parked in the driveway of the building. "And my employers trusted me with this mission, so there's nothing to worry about."

Grumbling, Soldier: 76 turned to the students and said, " _All right, let's get moving! Red Team, you'll follow Miss Oasis to the truck! Blue Team, head for the ziggurat and defend it from any unwanted intruders._ "

"Such as the Los Muertos Gang?" D. Va guessed as she chewed on bubblegum.

" _If you encounter them, contact me or the police,_ " Soldier: 76 responded.

D. Va folded her arms. "Why? My MEKA can take out several targets at once."

" _But you're not experienced enough to deal with groups like the Los Muertos Gang._ "

"We've fought Talon agents before," Tracer butted in. "How hard can some thugs with skull-shaped tattoos be?"

" _More than you think,_ " Soldier: 76 glared.

Seeing Soldier: 76's intimidating stare caused Tracer to look away. Then while Zenyatta Genji and Hanzo followed Oasis, Ana led Tracer Zarya Mei and D. Va to the ziggurat which was on the other side of a town square containing a lighthouse-shaped structure with lightbulbs strung from it to the roofs.

"Oi, what's this?" Tracer wondered, noticing a plaque on the structure that was written in Spanish. "I can't read it."

"Let me try." Mei adjusted her glasses as she examined the plaque. "It says, 'In Honor of Those Who Died in the Dark.'"

"Oh, so this is a memorial of sorts," Tracer realized.

"Pretty much," Mei concurred.

"We don't have time for sightseeing," Ana ordered. "The ziggurat is just around the corner."

Reluctantly, Tracer and Mei caught up to Ana who was swiftly making her way down a curved street on the other side of the square.

###

Sometime later, a full moon rose over Dorado's rooftops which illuminated the glass windows on the ziggurat's front.

"Sure has been quiet so far," Tracer observed, checking her Pulse Pistols.

" _Four minutes remaining!_ " Athena's voice cried from the speaker's located nearby.

"I don't like it," Zarya murmured.

"Why?" Mei asked.

"Means something big is going to happen," replied Zarya.

"Aren't you being a little paranoid?" D. Va said, leaning against MEKA's gun arm. "We've got Mei's Ice Wall blocking the entrance to this parking lot, and MEKA will protect us in case that falls."

"Even so, we don't know what we're up against," Mei reminded.

"Good point," Tracer agreed.

Tracer then Blinked to the Ice Wall and leaped onto it. At first, she saw nothing and then there were gunshots coming from the town square with the lights suddenly going out.

"Bullocks," Tracer swore and looked back. "Guys! I think the Red Team's in trouble!"

"Where are they?" Zarya demanded as she picked up the Particle Cannon.

"At the town square," Tracer responded while she jumped down from the Ice Wall.

"Good to know." Zarya glanced back at Mei and said, "Are you coming?"

Mei shook her head. "I'd rather stay and protect the ziggurat."

"Fine, then lower Ice Wall for me and Tracer."

"Hold on!" D. Va objected, getting into MEKA's cockpit. " _I'm coming too!_ "

"No, D. Va!" Tracer argued. "You'll leave Mei and the others defenseless."

"We'll be fine," Mei insisted, turning to the other two team members. "Right, guys?"

The other two team members nodded, causing Tracer to sigh nervously.

"It's okay, Tracer," Mei said, putting a gloved hand on Tracer's shoulder. "Now go help the Red Team. I believe in you."

"Thanks, luv," Tracer smiled and turned to face the Ice Wall. "Ready for some action?"

" _Da_ (Yes)," Zarya concurred.

" _Aw yeah,_ " D. Va cried excitedly.

Seeing how anxious they were, Mei destroyed the Ice Wall allowing Tracer D. Va and Zarya to leave the parking lot. Once they went around a bend in the street ahead of them, she erected another Ice Wall in the previous one's place.

###

At the town square, Genji was deflecting bullets fired by Sombra's Machine Pistol while Hanzo attempted to shoot arrows at her. Unfortunately, she kept disappearing and showing up at a different location altogether.

" _It's the same camouflage device Azúcar used,_ " Genji realized, looking up at Sombra who was standing on a rooftop.

"She and I are the same person," Sombra admitted, wearing the same black and purple get-up she wore during the Detention Facility break-in.

" _Then what is your true name?_ "

"That information is confidential," Sombra answered coyly as her pink fingernails glowed. "But everyone on the web calls me…Sombra!"

As pink wires flew toward Genji, Hanzo fired an arrow that hit Sombra's shoulder. She flinched briefly, causing the wires to dissipate. Then a figure appeared behind Sombra wearing a gray and black costume decorated in neon-blue lines, with roller blades on its feet and a giant frog-shaped head that had white headphones attached to it.

Sombra looked back at the frog-headed figure. "Ribbit, _necesito sanar_ (I need healing)."

" _Huh?_ " Ribbit's voice sounded muffled, but distinctly male.

"Heal me!" Sombra corrected irritably.

" _Oh,_ " Ribbit flinched, and took out a device shaped like a megaphone with a speaker attached to the end. It admitted a yellow-colored sound wave, which instantly healed Sombra's wound allowing her to remove Hanzo's arrow with ease.

"The Sonic Amplifier," Oasis said, getting out of the passenger seat of the red truck as it floated off the ground. "I've found you at last, Lúcio."

Surprised, Ribbit skated off the rooftop on his roller blades.

"You know what they say about frogs," Sombra scuffed. "They hide underground when it gets too hot for them."

Then she sent another wave of pink wires at Oasis causing her to shriek in pain as her cybernetic arm and helmet emitted sparks.

" _Oasis!_ " Genji exclaimed and turned to Zenyatta. " _Heal her, Master. My ultimate is ready._ "

"Wait, brother," Hanzo said, gripping Genji's arm. "We will attack together."

Genji hesitated, looking at Oasis as Zenyatta tossed a Healing Orb her way, and nodded. Standing side-by-side, Hanzo loaded another arrow while Genji poised his Katana to strike. Then Hanzo's dragon tattoo glowed blue, while Genji's sword took on a green aura.

Together, they shouted, " _Ryuujin no ken wo kurae! Ryuu ga waga teki wo kurau!_ "

While a two-headed blue dragon flew from the arrow Hanzo fired, a green dragon emerged from the Katana and led the charge toward Sombra.

To be continued…


	98. Stage 98: Friends and Enemies!

Stage 98: Friends and Enemies!

As Tracer, Zarya, and D. Va turned the bend in the street they stopped when something silver fell from the rooftop. It was a frog-headed thing wearing neon-blue roller blades.

" _Ah!_ " D. Va screamed. " _What is that?_ "

"I'm not sure," Tracer responded, watching the frog-headed creature skate past them. "But I intend to find out."

Using Recall, Tracer went back to when the creature landed on the ground and Blinked over to it with her Pulse Pistols out.

"Freeze!" Tracer snapped, causing the frog creature to flinch. "Are you the one who fired the gunshots in the town square?"

" _No, that wasn't me,_ " the creature stated in a muffled voice while raising its hands. " _As you can see, I'm unarmed._ "

"Turn around," Tracer demanded, not lowering her Pistols.

Reluctantly, the frog creature prepared to turn when a bright light caught Tracer's attention. On a rooftop near the town square, she saw three dragons emerge. One was blue and two-headed while the other was one-headed and green.

"The Dragons," Tracer realized.

" _Tracer!_ " D. Va cried. " _Frog Monster's getting away!_ "

Surprised, Tracer turned and noticed the frog creature skating into a nearby alleyway.

"I'll be right back," Tracer said. "You and Zarya get to the town square."

"Understood," Zarya nodded, and ran ahead while D. Va used MEKA's boosters to leap forward.

Meanwhile, Tracer Blinked down the alley to catch up to the mysterious frog creature. It wasn't too far ahead of her, so she fired a warning shot. The creature stopped and pulled out a device which sent a blast of sound in Tracer's direction.

"Whoa," Tracer exclaimed, dodging out of the sound blast's way. "Where'd you get that kind of tech from?"

" _A friend gave it to me,_ " the frog creature said, holding the device firmly.

"The only person I know who has something like that is Lúcio," Tracer responded, and held up both Pulse Pistols. "He's not dead, is he?"

" _If you're implying I killed him, then you're wrong and I can prove that._ "

Then the frog creature put away the device and pulled his own head off, revealing a dark-skinned youth underneath with dreadlocks tied into a ponytail.

"Lúcio!" Tracer realized, tucking her Pulse Pistols into the Chronal Accelerator. "Where've you been?"

"Around," Lúcio answered. "Mostly keeping a low profile to avoid running into Symmetra. She works for Vishkar, you see, was sent to obtain the Sonic Amplifier and arrest me for 'disturbing the peace' in Rio de Janeiro."

"Were you aware of this while attending Overwatch High?"

"Not until Azúcar told me. 'Course I didn't learn the truth about her until after I did an underground concert in Stuttgart disguised as Ribbit."

Tracer raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

"She's Sombra, the hacker who held everyone hostage during that Graduation Ceremony last year," Lúcio stated. "Because I owed her for warning me about Symmetra, she blackmailed me into coming here."

"For what reason?"

"To obtain...the fusion core."

"Did she say why?"

"Said something about her client needing a big power source, but that's it."

"She was probably talking about Talon," Tracer guessed.

"Yeah, there was this one guy I saw her with whom Soldier: 76 showed an image of after the incident at Mercy Hospital."

"Did he wear a skull-faced mask and sound pretty creepy?"

"Oh, yeah," Lúcio nodded.

"Sounds like Reaper. He's a well-known Talon agent."

"How do you know that?"

"I ran into him at Goldshire Studios when he and Widowmaker tried to assassinate Alfred Glitchbot," Tracer white-lied. "That's how I know his name."

"If that's true, how come your name wasn't mentioned in the news?"

"It was removed due to PR reasons. The UN feared the public wouldn't be too happy to see students putting their lives at risk doing Overwatch's job."

"Even though these Payload Competitions are basically doing that."

"This happened during Winter Break, so it would've seemed like a reckless act of justice and made Overwatch seem incompetent."

"Gotcha."

" _Two minutes remaining!_ " Athena announced.

"You should probably get back out there," Lúcio muttered as he put the frog head back on. " _I need to beat it before Sombra catches up to me._ "

"Seems like you keep making enemies out of women left and right," Tracer remarked. "Even D. Va can't stand to hear your name anymore."

"So she didn't react well to my goodbye vid?"

"None of us did," Tracer frowned. "You left without warning, and D. Va was heartbroken because of it."

Lúcio's eyes widened. "Wait, D. Va had feelings for me?"

"Of course she did!" Tracer said angrily. "Were you not paying attention or something?"

"Well, I noticed she blushed a lot in my presence. But since a lot of my fans tend to do that, I didn't think it meant something else."

"You're wrong." Tracer stepped closer to Lúcio and lifted his frog head up. "D. Va loved you for yourself, and not because she was a fan of your music."

"Really?" Lúcio's mocha skin turned a little pink.

"Come with me and ask her in person."

"Can't do that right now, but I'll visit her sometime and apologize."

"Please do."

Then Tracer put Lúcio's frog head down and Blinked to the town square.

Here, scorch-marks were seen on a particular rooftop, and a number of lights hanging from the lighthouse-shaped structure were destroyed. Meanwhile, Hanzo and Genji were putting Oasis whose cybernetic arm looked fried into the passenger seat of the truck while D. Va and Zarya surveyed the area.

"Hey, guys," Tracer said, getting everyone's attention. "What did I miss?"

" _A lot, actually,_ " D. Va responded from inside MEKA's cockpit. " _Hanzo and Genji attempted to take out Sombra with their Dragon Spirits, but she managed to evade them. Then we showed up and Zarya created a Projected Barrier around all of us to keep Sombra's wire-thingies from touching our equipment. It didn't work, though, and Zarya's Particle Cannon shorted out so I scared Sombra away with MEKA's Fusion Cannons and—_

"We get the point," Zarya grumbled, picking up her broken weapon. "Now let's get the fusion core to the ziggurat already."

To be continued…


	99. Stage 99: Feelings!

Stage 99: Feelings!

Though Tracer and the others managed to successfully get the fusion core to the ziggurat before Athena's timer ran out, the amount of property damage done to the town square delayed the Festival de la Luz by several days. This not only upset Guillermo Portero but also sparked a new wave of protests by the Los Muertos Gang with negative messages about Overwatch.

" _These government vultures think they can do whatever they want and everyone will be okay with it!_ " shouted one Los Muertos Gang member who was being interviewed on television with his words being translated from Spanish to English. " _Shows how little they care about the people who need them, sending kids to do dirty work for people like Guillermo who should be put on trial and locked up in jail!_ "

"These guys are insane," Tracer murmured as she watched the TV screen during lunch a couple days after she and the other students had returned from Dorado. "Hope I never have to run into them in real life."

"That could happen," Mei said as she sipped Oolong tea. "Los Muertos Gang members have started showing up in LA over the past few years."

"Great," Tracer sighed. "Seems like no matter what good Overwatch does, people always find a way to make them look bad."

"Let's hope this attitude doesn't last," D. Va added and looked at Zarya. "So you're finally graduating this year. How do you feel?"

"Strangely calm," Zarya responded, looking at her arm tattoo. "Though I already know where I'm being assigned."

"Really?" Tracer exclaimed. "They tell you that early?"

"It depends on which locations you sign up to be at," Zarya explained. "If there's not a lot of demand for a Hero, you have a higher chance of being sent there as opposed to someplace with a lot of Heroes like here."

"So where are you going to?" D. Va asked.

"Volskaya Industries," replied Zarya. "Its CEO liked the work I did during my internship so much that she offered to hire me as her 'associate,' whatever that means."

"Who cares! You're getting to work at the place you love!" Tracer then embraced Zarya, which surprised her. "I'm so proud!"

"Thank you, Tracer," Zarya admitted, hugging Tracer back. "This means a lot to me."

While the two continued to embrace one another, Hanzo suddenly approached their table.

"Um, excuse me," Hanzo said, getting the girls' attention. "Am I…interrupting something?"

"No, you're all right," Tracer responded. "I was just congratulating Zarya on her being assigned to Volskaya Industries."

"Their CEO is a very powerful woman, right?" Hanzo questioned.

"She's the Hero of Russia," Zarya stated proudly. "And I don't plan to let her down."

"That's good to hear." Hanzo nodded and looked at Tracer. "I'm not sure if you remembered, but I'm graduating as well."

"Oh, yeah," Tracer realized. "I almost forgot. Know where you're going?"

"It was confirmed this morning," Hanzo nodded. "Overwatch is sending me to Hanamura."

"That's your hometown!" Tracer gasped. "Why are they assigning you there?"

"To deal with yakuza gangs who took over after the Shimada Clan fell."

"Sounds dangerous," D. Va remarked. "Will Genji be joining you once he graduates?"

"I'm not sure," Hanzo replied. "He's still deciding on what path to take."

"Well, I wish you good luck, anyway," Tracer said, and hugged Hanzo. "Here's to make up for the rough start we had last year."

"That wasn't…entirely your fault," Hanzo reminded. "I was clouded by darkness, until you made me see the light."

"Aw, that's so sweet!" Tracer grinned. She looked over Hanzo's shoulder and noticed Zenyatta giving her a thumbs-up while Genji seemed ambivalent.

Then the bell rang, forcing Tracer to break away from Hanzo and Blink away.

"Such a nice girl," Mei observed, watching Tracer leave with admiration.

"Yeah, I thought she was going to start kissing you guys," D. Va joked, making Zarya and Hanzo stare at her.

"I don't…really see her like that," Hanzo admitted nervously.

"Neither do I," added Zarya, though her cheeks flushed red.

"Hmm," D. Va looked between the two suspiciously as they left until her eyes rested on Genji. "I wonder if he has any affection for Tracer."

"Hard to say," Mei responded. "His face makes it difficult to tell how he's feeling."

"Maybe I'll arrange some blind dates to see who likes her more," D. Va suggested.

"Don't do that," Mei objected. "Zarya told me Tracer arranged a blind date between Lúcio and Symmetra, but it didn't work out. Now she's turned off to blind dating altogether."

D. Va frowned. "Any particular reason she paired those two?"

"It was all some kind of misunderstanding."

"I see."

###

Later, after a successful Video Gamers Club meeting which had more members now thanks to the Fundraiser during the Hero Bash Tournament last semester, D. Va was walking home to the girls' dormitory by herself while Tracer had gone ahead as usual. She heard rustling sounds in the bushes near the dorm's entrance, but didn't pay attention to them. Then as the sound got louder D. Va took out her Light Gun.

"All right, show yourself!" D. Va demanded. "I have a gun, and I'm not afraid of using it."

Then from the nearest bush emerged the same frog creature D. Va saw in Dorado.

"Frog Monster!" D. Va cried, pointing the Light Gun at it. "Don't come any closer."

" _Whoa, chill out,_ " the frog creature said, holding the sides of its head. " _This is just a costume, D. Va. No need to panic._ "

Surprised, D. Va watched as the creature removed its head revealing Lúcio underneath.

"After Tracer caught up to me, we talked," Lúcio explained. "She told me something that I would like to confirm."

"Such as?" D. Va asked cautiously.

"Do you…like me, more than a friend?"

This made D. Va's face turn red and look downward.

"So Tracer was right," Lúcio muttered. "Man, I'm such an idiot."

"It's not your fault," D. Va insisted. "I just should've…made my feelings clearer. But even if I did, you still would've had to leave."

"True, though I still feel bad."

"Don't be. I've moved on."

But as D. Va put the Light Gun away and turned to the door, Lúcio skated up the stairs and grabbed her hand. Then he spun D. Va around and kissed her on the lips. She resisted at first, but then went along with it. The two embraced and stood like that for a few moments.

"Wow," D. Va murmured. "Never thought I would receive a kiss from the Frog Prince."

"Didn't think I'd be kissing a Princess, either," Lúcio replied.

After a second kiss, D. Va asked, "So…where do we go from here?"

Lúcio shook his head. "I don't know. I'm still a wanted fugitive, and you're a Hero-in-Training which could complicate things for both of us."

"Doesn't sound very promising."

"For now, at least," Lúcio said as he picked up his frog head. "But maybe someday we'll be together, once Vishkar pays for its crimes."

"And you think you're the only who can take them on?"

"Overwatch isn't doing anything, and neither is the UN."

"They're only looking out for this school's interests."

"By letting corrupt companies walk all over them with their money? I don't think so."

"It doesn't have to be _your_ fight! Let me help you."

"How?"

D. Va opened her mouth, but no words came out.

"That's what I thought." Lúcio then put on the frog head whose eyes lit up. " _I'll try to keep in touch as much as possible, but don't flip if I'm unable to respond for several days._ "

"Will you be using encrypted messages?"

" _Yeah, it'll be safer that way. So you'll have to ask Genji about deciphering them. See you around, Princess!_ "

"Same here, Frog Prince!" D. Va cried as Lúcio skated off into the night.

To be continued…


	100. Stage 100: Ghosts of the Past (Part 1)!

**100th Chapter! Thank you guys so much for the support you've given me! This is my take on the Overwatch comic** ** _Old Soldiers_** **, so some details will remain while others will be changed to fit my narrative!**

Stage 100: Ghosts of the Past (Part 1)!

"Hey, Jack," Ana said as she came into Soldier: 76's office carrying a black flash-drive in one hand. "I was just checking the security footage from the girls' dorm when something interesting came up. You might want to take a look."

" _Fine, p_ _ut it on my desk,_ " Soldier: 76 ordered.

Uncurling her hand, Ana put the flash-drive down and left. Once she was gone, Soldier: 76 removed his mask.

"All right," Soldier: 76 murmured as he picked up the flash-drive. "Let's see what you've got."

After inserting the drive into his computer, a file appeared on his holographic screen. Clicking on it, Soldier: 76 scanned through the footage quickly until he found an image that caught his attention. It showed D. Va pointing her Light Gun at something offscreen. Then as Soldier: 76 played the footage normally, he saw Lúcio enter the picture, kiss D. Va, and then leave.

Unable to speak, Soldier: 76 called Ana on the CommLink and she answered, " _Yes?_ "

"I finished looking at the footage you sent me," replied Soldier: 76, trying to sound calm.

" _And what do you think?_ " Ana asked.

"Either D. Va's keeping some secrets from me, or Lúcio planned this visit spontaneously."

" _Which one seems more likely?_ "

"My gut says the latter, but there's a part of me that thinks it's the former."

" _That sounds like the paranoid parent in you talking,_ " Ana chuckled.

"But Lúcio's being targeted by Vishkar for stealing their technology, and the UN for causing a massive riot in Rio de Janeiro."

" _Yet based on that confessional video of his, he did it to save his people from oppression._ "

"Even so, we don't know that for certain."

" _Then what do you suggest we do? Question your daughter, or look for Lúcio ourselves?_ "

Soldier: 76 thought about it for a few moments. Then after letting out a heavy sigh, he said, "Forcing D. Va to confess something she may not know would make her trust me less, and I'm pretty sure we're still being grounded by Ms. Adawe. So our only option is to let Symmetra go once she's recovered."

" _You mean Oasis?_ "

"We looked underneath the mask, and checked the records to be sure. Oasis was just an alias Symmetra used while she was working with Guillermo Portero."

" _So does this mean LumériCo and the Vishkar Corporation are…partners?_ "

"It would seem that way, though neither company has publicly confirmed such a collaboration."

" _But the Los Muertos Gang seems certain of it._ "

"They must have someone on the inside who's telling them this—

" _Or a hacker is giving the information away to incite conflict in Dorado._ "

"Yes, that is a possibility," Soldier: 76 agreed. "But regardless, we will allow Miss 'Oasis' to continue her mission. Then when she's close to nabbing Lúcio again, we'll nab him first, confirm his story, and plead to the UN for a full investigation of Vishkar's dealings in Rio de Janeiro if it rings true."

" _Sounds like a plan to me._ "

###

One week before Graduation, a ringing sound came from Soldier: 76's computer. Realizing it was from Gabrielle Adawe, Soldier: 76 immediately put on his mask and answered.

" _Hello, Jack,_ " Gabrielle said flatly. " _It's been a while since we talked._ "

" _Indeed it has,_ " Soldier: 76 concurred. " _I assume something's come up._ "

" _Right you are,_ " Gabrielle confirmed and showed several images of a large temple-like structure. " _We have been receiving reports of Talon activity at the Giza Plateau in Egypt, where the Anubis God Program is located. Though it has been dormant since the Omnic Crisis ended, we're concerned that Talon's attempting to access Anubis for the purpose of reactivating the program._ "

" _Shouldn't this be Helix's problem? After all, they insisted on guarding the place themselves._ "

" _I already have, and they're doubling their security there. But what I'm most interested in is this dialogue exchange one of the Helix cameras caught._ "

Onscreen, Soldier: 76 watched two men standing near a wall hanging up holographic posters. They were talking to one another, but there was no sound. So Soldier: 76 read their lips, and heard one word that interested him.

" _Ghost,_ " Soldier: 76 frowned. " _That's what they're calling the figure on the posters._ "

" _Yes,_ " Gabrielle stated. " _Your suspension from non-school-related activities is temporarily lifted. I want you to find this 'ghost' and confirm if it's really—_

" _Reaper._ "

Nodding, Gabrielle hung up.

###

Behind a crowded bazaar in Giza, Soldier: 76 had found the same holographic posters from the security footage and gazed upon a figure wearing a black hood and mask. Unlike Reaper's mask, though, this one had three neon-blue lines forming a downward triangle.

"Looking to collect?"

Soldier: 76 turned and saw a skinny man with a pointed chin and nose wearing a forest green military uniform. Ignoring him, Soldier: 76 continued to stare at the poster reading the information on it.

"This one's been causing Hakim a lot of trouble lately," the man said. "He's got a lot of clout in these parts, you see, friends with Talon."

Hearing that, Soldier: 76 asked, " _Where do I find this...Hakim?_ "

"I'd be happy to tell you, for a price." The man held his hand out.

Looking at the man's hand, Soldier: 76 shook his head. " _Real soldiers wouldn't sell themselves out to foreigners._ "

"Oh? Think you're so much better than me?" The man pulled a gun out and pressed it against Soldier: 76's head. "We'll see about that."

In a split second, Soldier: 76 punched the man's face causing him to stagger. Then he socked the man again, causing him to drop his gun and fall to the ground. Satisfied, Soldier: 76 picked up his Heavy Pulse Rifle, which was disguised as a briefcase, and walked away.

###

At a large compound that was surrounded by a thick wall, Soldier: 76 made his way through several uniformed men that were similar to the man he beat up earlier. After knocking them all out, Soldier: 76 approached a tall door where a single security camera stared down at him. Then a series of noises caught his attention, and he looked down at a bald man whom he knocked out last. Looking closely, Soldier: 76 noticed an earpiece and picked it up.

" _That's all we have,_ " said one voice coming from the earpiece, who was distinctly male. " _We'll have to find another way in._ "

" ** _No excuses!_** " growled another. " ** _Hopefully, Sombra can still get something useful out of this._** "

Soldier: 76 flinched, but kept listening.

" ** _Any progress on our 'ghost'?_** " asked the second voice.

" _Nothing so far,_ " replied the first.

" ** _Well, keep an eye out for him. Because once you've set a trap, the prey's bound to come sooner or later._** "

Crushing the earpiece in his hands, Soldier: 76 dashed up the wall and down the other side where an afro-haired man armed with a rifle-shaped gun immediately fired at him. Fortunately, most of the man's bullets missed giving Soldier: 76 the opportunity to rush the man and hit him with the butt end of the Heavy Pulse Rifle.

Once the man was down, Soldier: 76 demanded, " _Where is he?_ "

"I don't know who you're talking about," the afro-haired man grumbled.

" _Reaper,_ " Soldier: 76 clarified, turning on his Tactical Visor. " _Where's his current location?_ "

" ** _Right here, Jack._** "

A gunshot was fired behind Soldier: 76, causing him to be thrown downward. As a sudden ache began to creep up his side, he heard someone step forward.

" ** _I know your every move,_** " said the same menacing voice from the earpiece. " ** _Always have._** "

" _Who…are…you?_ " Soldier: 76 looked behind him and saw Reaper pointing a Shotgun straight at his head.

" ** _This is how it should've been,_** " Reaper responded, clicking the Shotgun.

Before he had the chance to shoot, another bullet was fired causing Reaper to flinch. Then as Soldier: 76 tried to get up, he was shot by something that made the pain on his side go away.

" _Get up, Jack!_ " cried a muffled but familiar voice. " _Fight him!_ "

Not questioning the circumstances, Soldier: 76 tackled Reaper to the ground and began punching him really hard. Then Reaper managed to kick Soldier: 76 off of him and the two kept swinging at each other.

" _Idiot!_ " said the familiar voice once more. " _You're always in the way!_ "

As Reaper punched Soldier: 76 in the gut, a third shot was fired hitting Reaper's arm guard.

" ** _You…_** " Reaper noticed a small alcove at the top of the wall Soldier: 76 climbed over and saw a figure wearing a mask with three neon-blue lines crouched there holding a sniper rifle. Immediately, he charged at the figure who fired several shots at him before Reaper's body turned to black mist.

Reappearing behind the figure, Reaper prepared to shoot them when they pulled out a small handgun and shot something into his neck.

" ** _Heh,_** " Reaper scuffed, pulling a small yellow needle out. " ** _Seems your fighting has improved since we last met, Ana._** "

The masked figure threw away the handgun and put up its fists.

" ** _There's no point in hiding behind that mask,_** " Reaper said as he started throwing punches which the figure blocked. " ** _I know who you really are._** "

" _All right, then,_ " the figure replied, kicking Reaper in the knee. " _I'll show you my real face if you'll show me yours._ "

Caught off-guard, Reaper fell toward the ground with the figure pushing him downward. When they both hit the ground, the figure grabbed Reaper's mask and pulled it off.

" _Gabriel…_ " the figure gasped. " _What happened to you?_ "

" ** _She did this to me,_** " Reaper answered as he started to dissipate. " ** _After I died at the hands of your comrade Jack._** "

While the figure backed away, Soldier: 76 watched Reaper became the same black mist as before and drift upward.

" _Um, thanks for saving me,_ " Soldier: 76 said to the figure. " _Whoever you are._ "

" _I go by the name Shrike,_ " the figure stated as they got up. " _I've been staking this place out for several days, until you showed up and ruined everything._ "

" _Sorry about that,_ " Soldier: 76 apologized. " _I was looking for a 'ghost,' thinking it was Reaper._ "

" _It's not him,_ " the figure responded. " _The ghost Hakim referred to—_

" _Was you, Ana._ "

Surprised, the figure took off its mask revealing Ana's face underneath. "Did my voice give it away, Jack?"

" _No, just eavesdropping,_ " Soldier: 76 corrected.

"Then you heard…"

"Yeah, I did."

Ana paused and then asked, "Any idea who he was referring to?"

"One," Soldier: 76 replied. "But you're not going to like the answer."

"Try me."

To be continued…


	101. Stage 101: Ghosts of the Past (Part 2)!

Stage 101: Ghosts of the Past (Part 2)!

Back at Overwatch High, Soldier: 76 stood outside of Mercy's office as the sun was setting. He hesitated to knock, but then did anyway. The door slid open and Mercy stood on the other side.

"Jack!" Mercy said, looking surprised. "What brings you here?"

Not responding, Soldier: 76 walked past Mercy and into her office.

"Is something wrong?" Mercy asked. "Has your arm started hurting again?"

Sighing, Soldier: 76 pulled off his mask and said, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Confused, Mercy responded, "I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me!" Soldier: 76 turned around and glared at Mercy. "You've been keeping something from me this whole time, and I want to know why."

"I-I would never keep any secrets from you," Mercy stuttered.

"Really? Then why were you gone for long periods of time after Gabe died?" Soldier: 76 demanded. "And then there's these freak-outs you've been having whenever Reaper is involved…what are those about?"

In response, Mercy closed the door to her office and went to a hidden cabinet. From it she pulled a notebook, a video camera, and military dog tags.

Recognizing the dog tags, Soldier: 76's eyes widened. "Is that—

"The truth," Mercy answered, putting the items on her desk. "It'll take a while to explain, so you might as well get comfortable."

While Mercy sat behind her desk, Soldier: 76 took a seat in the empty chair. He placed the mask down and pressed a button on its side.

"As you know, my Caduceus Staff is powered by millions of microscopic nano-machines," Mercy started, clasping her shoulders. "They enter a human body, fix what's wrong, and then disintegrate into nothing. Unfortunately, their lifespans are limited. So when it comes to severe injuries, or even death, I have to heal the person immediately or the nano-machines will die before the problem is fixed. So when Gabe's body was recovered after the Overwatch Swiss Headquarters exploded, I was unable to bring him back because he had been dead for a long time. You, on the other hand, were found quickly and thus I could revive you."

"Right, now I remember when we buried Gabe you stayed behind," Soldier: 76 recalled.

Mercy nodded. "I waited until nightfall, and then with help from my assistant we dug Gabe's body up and took him to a medical lab at my old school."

Soldier: 76 flinched. "Did anyone see you?"

"Fortunately not, as the school's been closed for many years due to poor funding," replied Mercy. "I brought some equipment there as well, and spent several days trying to revive Gabe."

"Why?"

"Because I couldn't bear to let him die. He was my friend, and yours."

"Even though we were constantly arguing and berating each other? Not to mention that I—

"I know what you had to do wasn't easy, but you still cared about Gabe and were just as sad as the rest of us when he died."

"What methods did you use for reviving him?"

"Everything, though primarily stronger doses from the Caduceus Staff. Then one day, I came into the lab to discover my assistant lying dead on the floor and Gabe sitting up in bed looking perfectly healthy. Naturally, he was confused so I told him the truth. Then after examining his body and my assistant's, I discovered what caused her death. It seemed that after enough nano-machines had been inserted into Gabe's body, they had started to replicate themselves after feeding off the super-powered cells he had."

"The same ones I have," Soldier: 76 responded. "We were both participants in an experiment to create super soldiers using genes containing super-powered cells that were injected into our bodies which made us stronger, faster, and more endurable than normal humans."

"Yes, the nano-machines feed on dead organisms in order to create new ones in their place. But once they had sampled a great deal of the super cells, their power grew allowing them to self-replicate and work faster than ever before. However, this came at a price for Gabe. Because the nano-machines were working extra hard to keep him alive, they ran out of energy quicker so his cells decayed faster than normal. The only way to replenish this energy…was to steal the life-force from a living person."

"That's what he did to your assistant?" When Mercy nodded again, Soldier: 76 asked, "Did you try to bring her back?"

"I tried, but it didn't work." Mercy clenched her shoulders tighter. "When a person's life-force is gone, they no longer have the will to live. So they die permanently, no matter how many nano-machines I subject them to."

"I'm sure there's some way you could get around that."

"With what? This was something I had never encountered before, and didn't know what to do."

While Mercy shifted uncomfortably in her chair, Soldier: 76 said, "What about his ability to turn into mist? Were the nano-machines responsible for that as well?"

"That was…another strange side-effect of the new nano-machines," Mercy explained. "Due to their increased speed, they started to disintegrate Gabe's body into a mist-like substance after enough time had passed. He would have disappeared completely if I hadn't encouraged him to stay focused and concentrate on maintaining his physical form. To my surprise, it worked and so Gabe could change into mist at will."

"How did he handle all this?"

"Not too well, I'm afraid. I kept him locked up in the lab, unsure if he was ready to go out into the world as a new man. To sustain his hunger for life-force, or 'souls' as he called it, I had to kidnap criminals who were on death row and bring them to him. It sickened me, and Gabe could tell. That's when he started becoming neurotic, seeing himself as a freak, and wishing I had never brought him back to life."

"Were you planning to keep this a secret indefinitely?"

"I wanted to say something, but I didn't know how you would react. Everyone sees me as this angel, who helps those in need and never lets anyone die. But this whole thing with Gabe...made me realize that toying with people's lives can be a dangerous thing."

"So what happened to Gabe?"

"He escaped from the lab, probably in mist form, and now he's with Talon…killing innocent people with that terrible power of his."

"Almost did it to me," Soldier: 76 remarked, touching his left arm. "Did you know Reaper was Gabe back then?"

"No, I found out when he visited me in this room and forced me to send that threatening message about canceling the satellite launch."

"I see."

For a few moments, neither Mercy or Soldier: 76 said anything.

"Were you aware I was not telling the truth for a while?" Mercy asked.

"To an extent," Soldier: 76 answered. "But then recently, Ms. Adawe sent me to the Giza Plateau where Talon agents have been spotted. There was this 'ghost' mentioned during a conversation, so I wanted to confirm if it was Reaper. Turned out I was wrong, though. The 'ghost' was actually Ana, who had been secretly foiling Talon's activities in that region behind Ms. Adawe's back under the codename Shrike. She was keen on capturing Hakim, one of Talon's main operatives, as he was helping Reaper and Sombra find a way into the Temple of Anubis so they could access the God Program there."

"Did they succeed?"

"No, but I ended up fighting Reaper instead. He was trying to capture the 'ghost' for Hakim, and I stepped into his trap by accident. Fortunately, Ana saved my skin. Then she ripped off Reaper's mask and found out he was Gabe, while I watched nearby."

"He didn't touch you or Ana?"

"No, but I got punched pretty hard and Ana got a few bruises as well."

"That's good," Mercy sighed. Then she noticed Soldier: 76's mask and realized, "Was this whole conversation recorded?"

"Of course," Soldier: 76 confirmed.

"Does that mean you'll be telling Adawe?"

"Most likely," Soldier: 76 said as he pressed the same button on the mask.

"Will she force me to stand trial for crimes against humanity?"

"I'm not sure, but it wasn't your fault that Gabe ended up with Talon."

"I know, but I'm still to blame for his creation."

"We all make mistakes, Angela. But instead of letting them get to you, find a way to fix them."

"Like finding a means to bring back the people Gabe has killed with his power?"

"Something like that."

Then after Soldier: 76 put his mask back on, Mercy gave him the notebook video-camera and dog tags. With these in hand, Soldier: 76 left Mercy's office only to find Ana standing close by.

"Found out anything?" Ana asked.

" _More than enough to confirm that Reaper is Gabriel Reyes,_ " Soldier: 76 said, handing the things Mercy gave him to Ana. " _I want you to take this information, create electronic files for it, and destroy the physical copies._ "

"But what if Sombra attempts to hack into the files herself?"

" _Winston will take care of that. For now, I'm going send my recorded conversation with Mercy to Adawe and see what she wants to do with her._ "

"Are you sure about this? If Adawe knows what we know, then the UN will find out and possibly bring our organization into question for conducting inhuman experiments and unveil the controversy with Blackwatch."

" _Hmm, good point,_ " Soldier: 76 agreed. " _Okay, new plan: take this information to McCree and you two start forming strategies for how to deal with Reaper in the future. I'll tell Adawe the mission at Giza was a success, claim that the 'ghost' was Reaper after all but I failed to capture him, and have Mercy work on a way to revive the ones killed by Reaper's hand._ "

"Then you should probably get rid of the recorded conversation on your visor."

In response, Soldier: 76 pressed a button, found the audio file, and deleted it. " _Done!_ "

To be continued…


	102. Stage 102: Collaboration!

Stage 102: Collaboration!

After Zarya and Hanzo had graduated from Overwatch High, Tracer made the decision to apply for an internship at King's Row in London, England.

" _Geez! Why go there?_ " D. Va said to Tracer over the phone during their Summer Break. " _I've heard the Pro-Omnic protests have gotten a lot more violent._ "

"I know, and that's why something needs to be done about them," Tracer replied.

" _And you think your presence will somehow make things better?_ "

"I'm not sure about that, but I can at least put my powers to good use."

" _True. Kind of wish I had your power right now._ "

"Why?"

D. Va sighed and explained the situation with Lúcio.

"And he kissed you?" Tracer exclaimed after D. Va had finished explaining what happened.

" _Yeah,_ " D. Va admitted shyly. " _Kind of liked it more than I thought._ "

"So does this mean you two are a couple?"

" _Not exactly,_ " D. Va responded. " _He wants to settle his score with Vishkar before we start going steady._ "

"How long is that going to take?"

" _No idea, and that's why I'm torn about accepting his kiss._ "

"You've been in love with him for a long time, Hana, so don't feel bad about it."

" _But what if he doesn't keep his word, or get captured by Vishkar?_ "

"He's been able to avoid Vishkar so far."

" _Not without Sombra's help, though, and she used that to manipulate him._ "

"Then he told you about the situation in Dorado?"

" _Yes, though I wasn't too happy about it._ "

"Did you forgive him?"

" _If I hadn't, we wouldn't be having this discussion._ "

"Sorry," Tracer apologized. "I was just wondering."

There was a pause and then D. Va said, " _I've got to go. Lúcio's supposed to call me soon._ "

"Okay, tell him I said, 'hi.'"

" _Sure thing!_ "

###

A few weeks later, Tracer's internship was accepted and she took a plane out to London. Upon arriving there, a teenage girl with medium-length red hair greeted her.

"Hello, luv," the red-haired girl smiled. "You must be Tracer."

Tracer flinched, feeling self-conscious in her civilian clothes with the Chronal Accelerator hidden underneath a blue hoodie she wore.

Seeing Tracer's concerned face, the girl said, "It's all right. I work for Petras."

"So you're here to pick me up?" Tracer guessed.

"That's right," the girl nodded.

Relieved, Tracer followed the red-haired girl out of the airport up to a small hover car where the passenger and driver's seats were switched.

"I take it from the look on your face that you've never driven in a British car before," the red-haired girl noticed as she got into the driver's seat. "Just put your luggage in the boot, and we'll be on our way."

Baffled, Tracer was speechless.

"The trunk," the red-haired girl corrected.

"Oh."

Once she did this, Tracer got into the passenger's seat and closed the door allowing the red-haired girl to drive the hover car out of the airport.

"So where're you from?" the red-haired girl asked.

"Well, originally, I was born here but I've mostly lived in Los Angeles," Tracer answered.

"Are your parents British?"

"Yes, but they died a long time ago."

"Then I assume you're adopted?"

Reluctantly, Tracer nodded.

"Any siblings?"

"An older brother, though we're not related."

"What's his name?"

"Winston."

"Does he go to school?"

"Went to the same one I'm attending right now."

"Very nice! So he's a member of Overwatch, then?"

Before Tracer could answer, a car swerved right into them. As the impact caused the girl's car to tilt, Tracer immediately Recalled and told the red-haired girl to stop. This time, the car that would've hit them turned sharply into the lane ahead of them.

"Whew! You must have sharp eyes, luv," the red-haired girl said breathlessly. "Otherwise, that car would've rammed right into us."

"No kidding, Miss—

"Emily," the red-haired girl answered. "Sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier."

"It's not a big deal. I'm Lena."

"Nice to meet you."

As the two briefly shook hands in the car, Tracer suddenly felt very warm and couldn't figure out why. The rest of the ride was quiet and uneventful until they got to King's Row. There, a group of Omnics and humans were standing in front of a police blockade wielding picket signs and chanting certain phrases.

"Well, so much for a peaceful drive," Emily groaned. "We'll have to get into the Houses of Parliament another way."

###

After navigating through some backstreets they reached the Houses of Parliament and went in through a side entrance. Once inside, Emily led Tracer to an empty hall where a figure wearing a mask with three neon-blue lines stood.

"Ah, Shrike," Emily recognized. "Where's Petras?"

" _He had a meeting with Mayor Nandah,_ " the figure said flatly. " _So I'm here to get the intern settled in his place._ "

"She's right here," Emily responded, stepping aside for Tracer. "All in one piece!"

" _Did you encounter any…issues on the way here?_ " asked Shrike.

"Not really, except more protesters just showed up on King's Row."

" _I'll deal with that later._ "

"Sounds good!" Then as Emily turned around, she patted Tracer on the shoulder. "See you in a bit, luv."

Tracer watched Emily go, and then looked back to see Shrike standing right in front of her.

While Tracer gasped, Shrike stated, " _First rule around here:_ never _turn your back on anyone!_ "

"Why?" Tracer demanded.

" _If you haven't been paying attention to the news, things have gotten pretty chaotic on King's Row,_ " Shrike reminded Tracer. " _The City of London Police can barely keep the protests under control, so I've been hired by Helix Security to access the situation._ "

"Wait, I thought Overwatch was going to be handling things here."

" _It is, but not entirely,_ " Shrike explained. " _The Prime Minister's not too fond of Overwatch, but Mayor Nandah insisted on giving you guys a chance. So you're Overwatch's…guinea pig of sorts, while I'm here to observe._ "

"Sounds fun," Tracer said sarcastically. "What about Petras? What's his deal?"

" _He's the new Director of Overwatch, meaning he answers to Adawe and carries out her orders._ "

"You sure know a lot for a Helix agent."

" _I make it my business to know as much about my clients as possible._ "

"And that's supposed to make me trust you?"

Before Shrike could answer, there was a loud _boom_ and the parliament hall began to shake.

"What was that?" Tracer wondered.

" _Not sure, but we're going to find out,_ " Shrike noted and walked past Tracer.

At first, Tracer hesitated and Shrike noticed.

" _If this collaboration between our groups bothers you so much, then don't bother coming,_ " Shrike stated, and left.

Angered, Tracer Blinked after Shrike just as they were heading toward the entrance to Big Ben.

To be continued…


	103. Stage 103: Exhaustion!

Stage 103: Exhaustion!

While Shrike ascended the tower that was Big Ben, Tracer decided to Recall back to before the loud _boom_ occurred. She didn't argue with Shrike this time and asked for the quickest way out of the Houses of Parliament. Reluctantly, Shrike answered and Tracer immediately Blinked toward King's Row. Just as her Chronal Accelerator ran out, she found an Omnic in the crowd of protesters who resembled a Bastion only it was slimmer with purple paint on instead of white. Raising its gun-arm, the purple Omnic stepped forward while some people backed away including regular Omnics. The policemen were at first baffled but then one of them took out a megaphone and turned it on.

" _Sir, put down that weapon!_ " the police officer demanded. " _Or we will be forced to arrest you or anyone else who is armed._ "

The purple Omnic said nothing and prepared to fire its gun.

"No!" Tracer cried and reached for her Pulse Pistols.

But before she could grab them, a shot rang out from above and the purple Omnic's gun-arm was dislodged. Surprised, the protesters fled King's Row while the police prepared to move.

" _Let them go,_ " said Shrike, leaping down from a balcony window on the second floor of the Houses of Parliament. " _They had nothing to do with this Omnic._ "

"But they'll be back tomorrow unless we release the Omnics we took into custody last week," replied the officer grumpily.

"What were they arrested for?" Tracer asked, interceding the purple Omnic as it tried to get away and holding the Pulse Pistols against its metal chest.

"Assaulting my men," the officer answered.

The other police officers cautiously approached the purple Omnic and used thick metal cords to bind its arms together. Though without the gun-arm, the purple Omnic barely struggled as the officers took it away.

" _I assume you used your 'gift' to prevent the Omnic from firing at the police,_ " Shrike guessed.

Feeling her face turn red, Tracer said, "Where'd you get that idea?"

" _Your chest is glowing,_ " Shrike pointed.

Sure enough, the Chronal Accelerator's blue light was shining through the hoodie Tracer wore over it.

"Shoot," Tracer muttered, crossing her arms over the light in embarrassment.

" _It's nothing to be ashamed of,_ " Shrike claimed.

"Even so, no one else knows about this except for a handful of people. So how are _you_ aware of my ability to—

" _We'll discuss this another time,_ " Shrike interrupted. " _But for now, I want you to head back to the Houses of Parliament. Petras is heading on his way back from meeting with Mayor Nandah._ "

"He wants to meet with me or something?"

" _Yes, since your role in this conflict will determine Overwatch's future presence here._ "

Feeling anxious, Tracer Blinked back to the Houses of Parliament hall and took a moment to catch her breath.

###

Unfortunately, Petras wasn't able to meet with Tracer personally as he had an appointed call with Adawe. Instead, he briefly talked to her over the phone in the same empty hall Tracer met Shrike.

" _You'll be taking orders either directly from Shrike or my junior secretary Emily will patch instructions to your CommLink from me,_ " Petras said. " _Now, I heard from Shrike that you left abruptly and attempted to prevent an armed Omnic from firing at a police blockade before he disarmed the Omnic himself._ "

"That's correct," Tracer answered.

" _Well, don't do something like that again,_ " Petras stated harshly.

"But I didn't get hurt!" Tracer argued.

" _Even so, you're still a liability,_ " Petras countered. " _So unless you hear from me or Shrike, there will be no reckless actions on your part. Understand?_ "

Reluctantly, Tracer said, "Yes, sir."

" _I expect you to report here tomorrow by 5 AM sharp. You're dismissed for now, unless an emergency happens, and be sure to visit Emily on the way out._ "

Hanging up, Tracer gave Shrike the update, who nodded in approval. Then Tracer navigated her way through countless halls until she came to a small office where Emily was seated with a holographic computer and several documents on her desk.

"Hello, Emily," Tracer murmured.

"Lena!" Emily exclaimed. "You look exhausted. Had a rough first day?"

"Sort of," Tracer admitted. "Petras chewed me out for stopping an armed Omnic when I wasn't ordered to by either him or Shrike."

"Oh, dear," Emily frowned. "I had hoped you wouldn't get on his bad side so early."

"Is he always so cranky?"

"Only when it concerns everyone's safety."

"Including me?"

"Especially you, since you're the first Overwatch agent to set foot on British soil since the Omnic Crisis."

"Right, that was Doctor Winston."

Surprised, Emily raised an eyebrow.

"My adopted brother's named after him."

"Gotcha," Emily acknowledged. "Now as part of your internship, you're required to keep daily logs of your activities here at King's Row. Would you like me to type them up and send them to your school or do all that yourself?"

Tracer blinked, unsure of what to do.

"Since it's clearly your first time doing this, I'll write the first log and send you a copy for future reference while I submit it to Overwatch High in your stead. Sound good?"

"Sure."

"Great! Just give me a few minutes and we'll head out soon."

"To where?"

"You'll see."

The office clock ticked slowly while Emily ruthlessly typed things on the holographic computer and Tracer kept dosing off. When Emily was done she turned off the holographic computer, grabbed her green autumn jacket and tugged Tracer out of the office with her. They made their way back to her car and she took her to an apartment which included wooden flooring, a white couch, and a small kitchen.

"Petras assigned me to look after you while you're not working," Emily explained as she took off her jacket. "But I don't want our relationship to be strictly business-oriented."

"What do you mean?" Tracer wondered, hesitating to take off her hoodie.

"Try to think of us as...flat mates," Emily clarified. "You needed a place to stay, so I'm helping you out."

"Will I have to pay a share of the rent or food?"

"No need to worry. All of it's being covered by the school. The only things you'll have to pay for are non-essentials."

"Like clothes?"

"Yeah, stuff like that."

"I see." Tracer looked around the apartment in admiration. "So where will I be sleeping?"

"The couch," Emily proclaimed, patting the soft turquoise pillows. "Trust me, it's a lot more comfortable than my bed."

"Okay."

While Emily skipped off into the kitchen, Tracer set her backpack and suitcase down next to the couch. Then she unzipped her hoodie and examined the Chronal Accelerator. It was still glowing brightly, though not as much as before. So Tracer reached into her suitcase and pulled out a round device with a black chord attached to it. Plugging it next to a big-screen TV in one corner of the living-room, Tracer then removed the Chronal Accelerator from her chest and placed it onto the device's circular port. The Chronal Accelerator shone brighter than before, making Tracer feel better until Emily's shadow appeared in the kitchen doorway. Quickly Tracer placed her hoodie on top of the device just as Emily came into the living-room.

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes," Emily said. "Hope you like fish & chips."

"Are you kidding me?" Tracer remarked. "I _love_ fish & chips!"

"Then you'll certainly enjoy mine."

Tepidly, Tracer followed Emily into the kitchen hoping she didn't notice the hoodie or the device underneath it.

To be continued…


	104. Stage 104: The Oppressed and the Fallen!

Stage 104: The Oppressed and the Fallen!

" _Null Sector?_ " Soldier: 76 remarked. " _Never heard of them._ "

" _They're an extremist group that wants to liberate Omnics from oppression by starting another Crisis,_ " Ana said with her Shrike mask on. " _This is their symbol._ "

On Soldier: 76's holographic computer screen appeared a gray 'S' with a purple streak cutting right through the middle.

" _And this is one of their members,_ " Ana continued, showing a picture of the purple Omnic that was apprehended earlier by the City of London police.

" _Were there any others?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

Ana shook her head. " _Not at today's protest, but that doesn't mean they're aren't more. If I had to guess, the Underworld's probably their main base of operations._ "

" _That's where the Omnics live, right?_ "

" _It's their 'ghetto' of sorts._ "

" _All right, I'll send McCree over there to monitor the place and see if he can find out more about this 'Null Sector.'_ "

" _Understood. What about Mercy's little 'side-project'?_ "

" _She's collected all of Reaper's victims, including her own assistant, but she hasn't had any luck bringing them back so far._ "

" _That's not good,_ " Ana muttered.

" _No, though I have faith in her finding a way to overcome this obstacle._ "

" _It's what she's best at._ "

Soldier: 76 paused and then said, " _How did Tracer handle the situation?_ "

" _She attempted to stop the Null Sector Omnic from firing at a police blockade, but I managed to dislocate its gun-arm with my Biotic Rifle._ "

" _Good,_ " Soldier: 76 nodded. " _I would be supervising Tracer myself, but—_

" _You're still being grounded by Adawe._ "

" _And Petras isn't making things easier._ "

" _He doesn't trust us, even though we're the ones saving lives!_ "

" _I understand your frustration, but try to understand that recent events have made people suspicious of our good intentions._ "

" _Yes, I'm well aware of this._ "

The two were silent for a moment until Soldier: 76 said, " _So…Reinhardt's been insisting on going back to Eichenwalde._ "

Ana flinched. " _That's where the Crusaders made their final stand against the Omnics._ "

" _Before they were all brutally killed except for Reinhardt._ "

" _Why does he want to go back to that godforsaken place?_ "

" _He found it while looking for the Bastion, and wants to make amends for his past mistakes._ "

" _You mean abandoning his leader to get our help?_ "

" _It went against his chivalric code._ "

" _Even so, it's been years since Balderich von Adler and the others died._ "

" _Yet they haven't received a proper burial in that time._ "

" _True, and their armor could be incredibly useful to us._ "

" _Or Talon._ "

" _So what do you plan to do?_ "

" _I'll talk to Reinhardt about it and figure out some kind of plan._ "

" _Very well._ "

As the holographic computer screen went blank, Soldier: 76 opened a desk drawer and pulled out a picture which showed a younger version of himself Ana and Gabriel huddled close together.

" _Things used to be much simpler back then,_ " Soldier: 76 reminisced. " _But now, the world's changed and so have we._ "

A series of sudden knocks caught Soldier: 76 off-guard, causing him to put away the photo.

" _Yes, who is it?_ " Soldier: 76 said cautiously.

" _Pharah,_ " replied a voice on the other side.

Relieved, Soldier: 76 answered, " _Come in._ "

The door to Soldier: 76's office opened revealing Pharah, who was a little taller and muscular than before wearing a blue sports top and black yoga pants with matching shoes.

" _Something you want to talk about?_ " Soldier: 76 guessed.

"Actually, I wanted to…apologize," Pharah started, looking astray as she spoke. "For selling my armor design to Helix Security and giving them the information they needed to arrest you."

Surprised by this, Soldier: 76 asked, " _Why are you apologizing to me about these things now?_ "

"Because…I didn't want to live with the guilt of betraying Overwatch's commander, and the organization in general."

" _You only followed orders, like a good soldier should. As for the armor, I'm assuming you used it to insure that you'd get into Helix for sure._ "

"Not just for the internship," Pharah corrected. "I also plan to work for them after I graduate."

" _Like your mother before she joined Overwatch._ "

Pharah clenched her fist. "I don't want to simply follow in her footsteps. I'm determined to create my own legacy that'll surpass hers, no matter what it takes."

" _Hence the reason you sold your Raptora armor._ "

Hearing that, Pharah's gaze wandered again.

" _If it'll set the record straight, I don't consider your actions an act of betrayal._ "

"Really?" Pharah's eyes lit up.

" _A soldier's job is never easy, and if you have to get your hands dirty to do some good in the world then so be it._ "

"But you've always believed in the notion of pure good triumphing over evil in the past."

" _Well, in this day and age things aren't so black and white anymore._ "

"I can see that, but I want to believe that things like justice still prevail."

" _They do, Pharah, but in different forms._ "

"If you say so," Pharah shrugged as she sauntered out of Soldier: 76's office.

###

Later that week, Pharah decided to give her mother a call but only got her voicemail. Irritated, she hung up and went into her room. Just as she was about to go to bed, though, her CommLink from Helix started vibrating.

 _Must be Captain Khalil_ , Pharah assumed as she picked up the CommLink.

" _I saw you called,_ " said a muffled female voice.

"Mother," Pharah complained.

" _What?_ "

"Isn't calling me on this line a dead giveaway of your 'secret' identity?"

" _This is on a private CommLink channel, so no one else should be able to hear us._ "

"Except for hackers like Sombra."

" _Winston has found ways of keeping her activities to a minimum._ "

"But she's not going away. She'll find ways around Winston's defenses, and uncover all our secrets for Talon to use."

" _I'm not sure if she's completely faithful to Talon._ "

"How so?"

" _Recently, Talon agents broke into Volskaya Industries with the intention of murdering the company's CEO Katya Volskaya. However, they failed in their mission because Sombra had apparently blackmailed Katya according to Zarya._ "

"Did she say what the nature of this blackmail was?"

" _Katya wouldn't say, nor did she explain the so-called 'favor' Sombra forced her to promise._ "

"This all seems fishy, with Sombra's deal and Katya's reluctance to say anything about it."

" _I'm sure she has her reasons._ "

"Probably wants to save face for the sake of her reputation as the Hero of Russia."

" _Reputations are important, especially when the world is watching you._ "

"I though we were the watchers."

" _We are, Fareeha, but we're not above being seen by those who question our actions._ "

"Like the public?"

" _Exactly._ "

Pharah paused for a second and then stated, "The reason I called you is because…I wanted to know how Tracer was doing. She hasn't contacted Mei or D. Va in a while, including me."

" _She's pretty busy over here. Petras is giving her a hard time, and I try to be a little nicer but still stern enough to be taken seriously._ "

"As you typically are."

" _Though Petras doesn't know that._ "

"He sounds like a pain in the butt from what you've told me."

" _You have no idea. The only saving grace Tracer's got is this girl named Emily, who just so happens to be Petras' junior secretary._ "

"What does that mean?"

" _She assists Petras' main secretary and carries out the same tasks he does._ "

"So does she know—

" _I'm not sure, but I don't think Emily knows Tracer's secret._ "

"Let's hope it stays that way. Are they close?"

" _Oh, yes, they've grown quite fond of each other._ "

"Then all the more reason for Tracer to not speak about her condition, lest Emily reveals this information to the wrong people and puts Tracer's life in danger."

" _I don't think Emily's that kind of person._ "

"Then why is she working for someone as untrustworthy as Petras?"

" _A job's a job, no matter how unlikable your boss is._ "

"Does the same apply to you?"

" _No, I like Jack for the most part. Even though we've had our differences._ "

"What about Gabe?"

" _That's…a different story,_ " Ana said hesitantly. " _While I was cool-headed and kept my distance from the fight, Gabe was hot-blooded and rushed into battle without thinking._ "

"Just like Jack?"

" _They were both very similar in that regard, and maybe that's one of the reasons they fell apart. But while Jack ultimately wanted to do the right thing, Gabe was only concerned with fulfilling his personal agenda._ "

"Which was?"

" _To be given proper credit as a Hero._ "

"I remember him complaining about something like that when he thought no one was watching, but I heard it."

" _This was before the Swiss Headquarters Explosion, I take it._ "

"It was, and I always wondered what that was about."

" _Maybe I'll tell you someday, but for now you should get to bed._ "

"You're right, mother. Don't stay up too late, either."

" _Sure thing,_ " Ana replied.

Then the CommLink went silent and Pharah once again prepared to go to bed.

To be continued…


	105. Stage 105: Secret Missions!

Stage 105: Secret Missions!

" _Reinhardt,_ " Soldier: 76 began. " _In regard to your request about returning to Eichenwalde, I had McCree do reconnaissance with Winston providing satellite images via the Recall drone._ "

"And what did they come up with?" Reinhardt asked, having to bend over slightly in Soldier: 76's small office.

" _Something you're not going to like,_ " Soldier: 76 warned.

On his holographic computer, Soldier: 76 displayed blurry images from space that grew gradually larger with each picture. The final one caught Reinhardt by surprise as it showed a black helicopter landing on the castle walls that surrounded Eichenwalde with an obvious symbol etched into the helicopter's side.

"Talon," Reinhardt growled.

" _McCree and Ana think they're after the Crusaders' armor,_ " Soldier: 76 explained. " _Though we don't know if they've actually found them yet._ "

"Those grave-robbing swine," Reinhardt said as his fists clenched. "I'll kill every single one of them if it's the last thing I do!"

" _Now don't get too excited,_ " Soldier: 76 stated calmly. " _There's still a chance for us to retrieve your fallen comrades before Talon does._ "

"How? With another one of your 'Competitions'?"

" _Only if you think the students can handle it._ "

"It's not a matter of whether they can deal with Talon or not, since they've shown they can during past Competitions, but what I'm concerned about is whether to call this a Competition at all or not."

" _Then we'll just apply the same rules we did with the Watchpoint: Gibraltar and Dorado Competitions and not have them battle each other._ "

Reinhardt sighed and put his massive hands on his knees. "I would like to propose that we don't call situations like that Competitions but 'Missions.'"

Soldier: 76 raised an eyebrow. " _What do you mean?_ "

"Instead of an extra-curricular activity, let's make things like Watchpoint: Gibraltar and Dorado extra-credit assignments instead," Reinhardt clarified. "That way, we can separate those who just want to compete from the ones who genuinely care about the assignment-in-question."

" _Will the same rules from the Payload Competition still apply?_ "

Reinhardt shook his head. "Everyone who participates will receive equal credit, rather than one person, and it'll go towards their final grades."

" _Hmm, that's not a bad idea,_ " Soldier: 76 concurred. " _How long have you considered this?_ "

"For a while," Reinhardt answered. "Since D. Va's been complaining to me non-stop about how Watchpoint: Gibraltar and Dorado weren't really Competitions if everyone was working together instead of competing against each other."

" _I've been receiving the same complaints as well,_ " Soldier: 76 admitted. " _Maybe this'll help straighten things out and bring in more people who want to be true Heroes as opposed to mere posers who claim they want to help people but actually don't._ "

"Exactly."

Soldier: 76 looked up at the towering German and took off his mask. "I'll talk this over with the others to get their opinions and then we'll reevaluate the Eichenwalde situation."

"Thank you," Reinhardt grinned, putting a large hand on Soldier: 76's shoulder. "You don't know how much this means to me."

Soldier: 76 smiled back and put his hand over Reinhardt's. "I know too well, old friend."

###

A few weeks later, Pharah and Mei were hanging out in the living-room of their shared dorm when a surprised shriek caught them off-guard.

"That sounded like D. Va," Mei observed looking toward the door with D. Va's name on it.

"You're probably right," Pharah agreed and got up from the floor cushion she was sitting on.

Mei followed and together they entered D. Va's room where she was gazing at her computer.

"Are you kidding me?" D. Va exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Mei asked.

"The school's adding these new things called 'Secret Missions' and they're basically extra-credit assignments that involve dealing with threats like Talon but with supervision from the Teachers."

"And that's a bad thing?" Pharah said dubiously.

D. Va groaned. "I have nothing against the idea itself, but they've now changed the Payload Competitions at Watchpoint: Gibraltar and Dorado into Secret Missions."

"I still fail to see what the problem is," Mei noted as she adjusted her glasses.

"The Play of the Game award doesn't apply to them now, so I only won the Numbani Competition while Tracer and Zenyatta's Play of the Game awards for their actions at Watchpoint: Gibraltar and Dorado don't count."

"I'm sure that won't bother them," Mei insisted. "After all, they were just doing the right thing."

"Like when Tracer saved Lúcio's life from Widowmaker's gunfire, or Zenyatta healing Oasis after she was attacked by Sombra," Pharah elaborated.

"You mean Symmetra?" D. Va corrected.

Mei flinched. "We don't know if Oasis was actually Symmetra, though."

"It was totally her," D. Va objected. "She had the same voice, and even the robotic arm."

"But if Symmetra left school to pursue Lúcio, as you two claim, then what was she doing in Dorado acting as Guillermo's assistant?" Pharah pondered.

"Probably looking for Lúcio, and using Guillermo as her cover," Mei guessed.

"Yeah, that sounds right," D. Va said and noticed a green frog icon appear on her computer. "You guys should probably get to bed. It's almost Light's Out."

"You're right," Mei agreed as she yawned. "Well, good night."

"Same," Pharah replied and left D. Va's room along with Mei.

Once they were gone, D. Va turned off her overhead light and clicked on the frog icon.

" _Hey, Princess,_ " Lúcio said on a blurry video feed with his Ribbit costume still on but without the mask on. " _Long time no see._ "

"Could say the same to you, Frog Prince," D. Va smirked. "Where're you at now?"

" _The b_ _ackstage of a concert in Egypt,_ " Lúcio said breathlessly. " _Just got done with my last song, and now they want an encore._ "

"Then give it to them," D. Va encouraged. "That shows they love you."

" _Not as much as you,_ " Lúcio teased.

"Oh, stop it," D. Va giggled. "You're making me blush again."

" _That's what I'm good at._ "

The two laughed merrily and then D. Va said, "Um, listen, I know you're really busy right now but maybe…you could come visit me during Winter Break."

" _I'll try, but no promises._ "

"Okay." Then D. Va took out a pen and scribbled an address on her hand. She showed it to Lúcio who did something offscreen.

"Got it?" D. Va asked.

" _I think so,_ " Lúcio answered, and held up a crummy-looking notebook. " _Does this look right?_ "

D. Va checked the scribbles on the notebook and nodded. "Sure does."

" _Great! Later, Princess!_ "

"You two, Frog Prince," D. Va waved.

As the video feed stopped, D. Va sighed and got ready for bed.

###

Across the ocean, Tracer was just about to lie down on the couch in her pajamas when Emily came in with an extra blanket.

"What's that for?" Tracer said, looking perplexed.

"It's going to start getting cold soon, so I thought you could use more covering," Emily claimed.

"Thanks," Tracer replied, taking the blanket from Emily's hands.

As their fingers brushed against one another, Tracer felt that same warm feeling again and looked away in embarrassment.

Emily noticed Tracer's wayward stare and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine," Tracer fibbed.

"If you say so, luv," Emily responded, making a half-smile before departing to her bedroom.

When she was gone, Tracer breathed heavily. _Why do I always get this way when Emily's in the same room? Maybe I'm getting sick or something._

Tracer touched her forehead and rubbed her throat, but nothing seemed wrong.

 _I don't feel sick, so maybe it's something else_ , Tracer thought.

To be continued…


	106. Stage 106: Kindred Spirits!

Stage 106: Kindred Spirits!

" _Really? You guys are going to Eichenwalde?_ " Tracer said during a video-chat with Mei, Pharah, and D. Va. " _I'm so jealous._ "

"But it's not for a Payload Competition, or a field-trip for that matter," Mei explained. "There's this new program called Secret Missions which allows students to do challenging assignments outside of school for extra-credit."

" _Such as what?_ " Tracer asked.

"Well, remember Watchpoint: Gibraltar and Dorado?" D. Va frowned.

" _Yeah?_ " Tracer answered.

"They're considered Secret Missions now, so everyone who participated in them got extra-credit instead of the ones who got Play of the Game," D. Va elaborated, still frowning.

" _Oh, well that's all right,_ " Tracer shrugged. " _Didn't really need an artificial trophy to feel good about stopping Talon from getting their hands on the satellite drone, and Zenyatta didn't really care much for Play of the Game anyway._ "

"That's how we thought you would react," Pharah claimed. "But D. Va's not too happy about it because she's only won the Numbani Payload Competition so far."

" _I'm sure there will be other chances, D. Va,_ " Tracer said sympathetically. " _You just gotta hold out until then._ "

"All right," D. Va muttered. "But the only reason I'm doing this Secret Mission in Eichenwalde is to prove that I'm not one of these 'posers' Reinhardt wants to eliminate from these things."

" _I see._ " Tracer looked at a clock that was partially visible in the apartment's dim lighting. " _Well, I've got to get up early tomorrow for my morning patrol of King's Row._ "

Pharah raised an eyebrow. "Petras is still making you do those?"

" _Unfortunately, yes,_ " Tracer groaned.

"Shouldn't he be giving you more important assignments by now?" D. Va asked.

" _Apparently I'm not ready for them yet._ " Tracer looked at the clock again. " _Maybe I'll introduce you guys to Emily next time. She's really cool and makes living here worthwhile._ "

"Sounds good," Mei smiled. "Tell her we said, 'hi.'"

" _Will do!_ "

Then after Tracer's video-feed died off, the girls looked at each other before heading into their individual rooms.

###

The following morning, the girls along with Genji and Zenyatta made their way to the soccer field where the Shuttle-Jet was waiting for them. Reinhardt was there without his armor on, along with Soldier: 76. They did roll-call first before everyone boarded onto the Shuttle-Jet. While Soldier: 76 and Reinhardt sat up front, everyone else was relegated to the crammed seats where the cargo holder was. In a matter of minutes, the Shuttle-Jet was airborne. By the time they reached Stuttgart, the closest city to Eichenwalde, it was nighttime.

"Get a good night's sleep, kids!" Reinhardt said outside the hotel room the students were crammed into. "We'll be heading out to Eichenwalde bright and early tomorrow."

The students said nothing as Reinhardt closed the door.

" _Why does he insist on calling us 'kids'?_ " D. Va whispered to Mei. " _You're a Senior, for crying out loud._ "

" _So am I,_ " Pharah reminded D. Va. " _But we're technically not adults yet._ "

D. Va huffed. " _Still, he should give us proper respect given that we're risking our lives to bring back the remains of some dead guys._ "

" _Those 'dead guys' are the Crusaders, who were Germany's greatest Heroes during the Omnic Crisis,_ " Pharah said irritably. " _And their leader, General Balderich von Adler, fought his last battle at Eichenwalde before he and the others were all killed by the Omnics._ "

" _Except for Reinhardt,_ " Mei added. " _I wonder how he survived._ "

" _My mother told me he fled from Eichenwalde to get help from Overwatch,_ " Pharah answered and looked downward. " _But they were too late._ "

" _Oh,_ " Mei said and looked to the door. " _I bet Reinhardt feels guilty about leaving the Crusaders, especially when they needed him the most._ "

" _Even if that were the case, he did nothing wrong by going to Overwatch,_ " D. Va argued.

The door to the room suddenly opened and Reinhardt stepped in. "D. Va! Outside, now!"

Surprised, D. Va immediately got up and stepped out of the hotel room. "I didn't mean to—

"No more talking," Reinhardt snapped. "Now follow me."

This confused D. Va, but she didn't question Reinhardt and obediently trailed behind him. They eventually came to a balcony that overlooked the city below and the Black Forest beyond. Once Reinhardt closed the glass door behind them, he walked up to the balcony's edge just as a chilly northern wind blew making D. Va shiver in her pink hooded nightgown with bunny ears and matching slippers.

"Tell me, D. Va, what do you plan to do once you've graduated from Overwatch High?" Reinhardt asked.

"I'm aiming to join the Korean Army's Mobile Exo-Force, who gave me MEKA in exchange for my education here," D. Va said reluctantly.

"And why is that?"

"Because…there's a giant Omnic that keeps attacking my country from the ocean and—

"But what's _your_ reason for joining?" Reinhardt interrupted.

D. Va took a deep breath and said, "To boost my fame as an online gamer, and save my country's people from the Omnic."

"Which of those two reasons do you consider the most important?"

"The former," D. Va admitted. "I know that sounds selfish, but it's what matters to me."

Reinhardt stared back at D. Va. "To tell you the truth, I was no different when I was your age."

"Really?" D. Va's eyes widened.

"Many years ago, I joined the German Army when the Omnic Crisis broke out and after that the Crusaders which was formed by my mentor, General Balderich von Adler," Reinhardt stated wearily. "Though I swore to protect Germany from the threat of Omnics, my real goal was to become famous and respected by my peers. Balderich sensed this, and encouraged me to take up a chivalric code of honor. I tried to follow it, but truth be told I never liked the code's strict rules. It was this sentiment that led me to flee Eichenwalde when the Omnics cornered us. The other Crusaders and I knew we were outnumbered, but Balderich insisted on fighting them till his last breath. So I thought if Overwatch could help us, my mentor wouldn't have to sacrifice himself.

"Unfortunately, we showed up just as the battle ended. My comrades were slain, and Balderich's body lay dead in Eichenwalde's great hall. I couldn't bear to look at him, and was filled with guilt for abandoning the Crusaders. Then Soldier: 76 persuaded me to join the strike team in order to prevent such events from occurring to others. From that point on, I took Balderich's chivalric code to heart and have followed it to this day. Though when the Omnic Crisis ended, I retired from Overwatch since my armor was in bad shape. During this time, I met Brigitte and she fixed my armor after we ran into a gang of scavengers called The Dragons who were terrorizing a small German village not too far from here."

"And then you came back to Overwatch and became a Teacher," D. Va finished.

In response, Reinhardt nodded. "The scar I bear…happened when the first wave of Omnics attacked Eichenwalde. My Barrier Field gave out, and I was flung backward. Then before I could recover, a Bastion punched my helmet in causing pieces of metal and glass to get imbedded into my face."

"Sounds pleasant," D. Va cringed. "Did Mercy heal you?"

"Only after I had left Eichenwalde," replied Reinhardt. "Of course, her Caduceus Staff wasn't as strong so it could only heal the wound but not make the scar or the blindness in my eye go away."

In the faint moonlight, Reinhardt's pale eye shown against the deep red scar that covered one side of his face.

Seeing the scar made D. Va turn away. "Well, I'm sorry for calling the Crusaders 'dead guys' and I'll try to show more enthusiasm for tomorrow's Mission."

"I don't ask for enthusiasm," Reinhardt corrected. "Just do the job well and with respect."

"I'll do my best, Reinhardt!" D. Va said as she smiled holding two fingers up.

"Enough with the theatrics," Reinhardt ordered. "Now go to bed."

"Right away!"

Then D. Va left the balcony, leaving Reinhardt to gaze at the Black Forest alone.

"She's still too young to understand the burdens that come with being a Hero," Reinhardt said to himself. "But I hope this Mission will teach her a thing or two about acknowledging the Heroes of the past and heading toward the future as a stronger person."

To be continued…


	107. Stage 107: Siege on the Castle!

Stage 107: Siege on the Castle!

As the sun rose over the Black Forest, Reinhardt had led the students outside of Stuttgart and across several forest-covered hills following a hovering battering ram.

" _How much further do we have to go?_ " D. Va asked, sitting inside MEKA's cockpit.

" _About ten miles or so,_ " Reinhardt said within his Crusader Armor.

" _Ugh, can't we stop for a bit?_ " D. Va whined. " _My legs are cramping up in here and I'm starting to get hungry._ "

"That wouldn't be a bad idea, actually," Mei concurred, fanning herself. "It's still pretty hot despite the cool breeze."

"Will you two stop complaining?" Pharah snapped, wearing her Raptora Armor and bird-shaped helmet. "We're here to fulfill a Mission, not go picnicking."

" _Took the words right out of my mouth, Pharah,_ " Reinhardt commented.

D. Va growled and looked down at Genji and Zenyatta. " _How are you two holding up?_ "

" _Pretty well, actually,_ " Genji responded. " _These woods are not as rough as the Himalayan roads back in Nepal._ "

" _And the greenery is so pristine,_ " Zenyatta added, looking up at the sunlit trees with admiration. " _This is just like a vision I had during one of my meditations._ "

Mei's ears perked up. "Vision? What was in it?"

" _I saw myself walking through a forest such as this while the sun shone and the animals looked at me curiously. There was this one animal that caught my attention, though I don't remember what it looked like. Then I entered this open field strewn with metal, there was a flash of red, and then the meditation ended._ "

"This animal in your vision," Mei started, feeling her palms become sweaty. "Did it happen to resemble a bird?"

Zenyatta pondered for a moment and nodded. " _You know, I believe so._ "

" _But what kind of bird?_ " Genji asked. " _There are several possible meanings it could have depending on the type._ "

" _That is true,_ " Zenyatta agreed. " _I'll have to do some thinking about that._ "

###

When they did stop for a break, it was an hour past noon and Eichenwalde's towers could be seen in the distance.

"Is something bothering you, Mei?" D. Va asked as the two of them shared a bag of Dorito chips and Mountain Dew. "You've been pretty quiet since Zenyatta described that vision of his."

"That's what worries me," Mei admitted reluctantly. "But I can't explain why."

"Is it because you can't or won't tell me?"

"The latter, but it's not because I don't trust you."

"Then why?"

Mei glanced at Reinhardt, who seemed preoccupied in staring at Eichenwalde's towers, while Genji and Zenyatta were meditating. Then she turned back to D. Va and whispered, " _Remember that field-trip I took with Tracer here?_ "

"Yeah?"

" _Well, there were some things that happened which both Soldier: 76 and Ana ordered us to not speak about._ "

"Such as?"

" _I can't tell you anymore than that, or I'll get in trouble._ "

"No one is watching," Pharah said, getting D. Va and Mei's attention. "And if this involves my mother, then I should know too."

"And we're pretty good at keeping secrets, most of the time," D. Va claimed half-heartedly.

With both pairs of eyes staring at her, Mei's face flushed red. "Okay, I'll tell you! But don't say a word about this to anyone else."

"We promise," D. Va and Pharah said nodding to one another.

After taking a deep breath, Mei described the encounter with the Bastion and revealed Azúcar's true identity.

"So she was—wow," D. Va murmured. "I never would've guessed Azúcar was Sombra."

"It makes sense, though," Pharah responded. "But if she was after the Bastion all along, then why pretend to be an Overwatch High student in the first place?"

"Maybe she was trying to gather more secrets from Overwatch," D. Va suggested.

Pharah gave D. Va a doubtful look. "Even though she hacked into the school's computers numerous times before her 'enrollment'?"

"Just because she's a hacker doesn't mean she can access anything," D. Va argued.

"It doesn't really matter at this point," Mei snapped, silencing both D. Va and Pharah. "Anyway, I'm pretty sure Zenyatta's vision was him recalling the Bastion's memory from that time Tracer and I encountered it."

"Don't Omnics have shared programming or something?" D. Va guessed.

"Yes, they do, and it was that same link which allowed the God Programs to take control of the Omnics twenty-three years ago," Mei reminded.

" _All right, kids!_ " Reinhardt shouted, getting everyone's attention. " _Let's move out! Eichenwalde is just a few more hills over._ "

While D. Va groaned and got into MEKA, Pharah asked Reinhardt if she could fly ahead and scout the situation. Reluctantly, he nodded and so Pharah took off into the sky.

" _Hey, that's cheating!_ " D. Va said as she watched Pharah fly away.

" _This is not a competition, D. Va,_ " Reinhardt responded. " _Remember that._ "

###

Once they were close to Eichenwalde's outskirts, Pharah came back and reported several Talon agents guarding the main castle with some posted throughout the town.

" _Curses!_ " Reinhardt swore. " _Guess we'll have to do this the old-fashioned way._ "

" _What do you mean?_ " D. Va asked.

" _I'll lead the charge,_ " Reinhardt stated. " _The rest of you will follow behind and protect the battering ram._ "

" _But I can help,_ " D. Va offered. " _My MEKA's Fusion Cannons could—_

" _No!_ " Reinhardt barked. " _I can't have you risk your life in case things get out of hand. Now go to the rear-end of the battering ram and stay there._ "

D. Va huffed and moved MEKA to the back.

" _Pharah, you'll attack from above when I give the signal,_ " Reinhardt ordered. Then he turned to Mei, Genji, and Zenyatta. " _Mei, use your Ultimate Ability to freeze large groups of enemies. Genji, I'll have you take care of the hidden enemies. Zenyatta…_ "

" _Yes, Reinhardt?_ " Zenyatta asked.

" _Heal those in need,_ " Reinhardt sighed and turned his attention to Eichenwalde. " _Now, let me show you how it's done!_ "

Then the engine on Reinhardt's back glowed and he charged forward with his Rocket Hammer gripped tightly in his hands. Immediately, Genji took off and ran past him to scale up the first wall where he impaled a Talon guard with his Shuriken. Meanwhile, the rest of the students followed with Mei using her weather-modificiation drone to conjure up a Blizzard that froze many of the guards while Pharah fired rockets at them with her Rocket Launcher and then D. Va leaped over the battering ram and took out some incoming guards with her Fusion Cannons.

"D. Va!" Mei cried as she put up an Ice Wall between D. Va and Reinhardt who was charging up the street beyond. "You were supposed to protect the rear-end!"

" _Screw that!_ " D. Va objected. " _It's not like anyone's going to attack us from the rear, anyway._ "

" ** _Except for me._** "

Hearing that voice, D. Va looked back and saw Reaper appear out of thin air. He pointed his Shotguns at Zenyatta, who put his hands together which caused his orbs to hover around him and glow a bright blue color.

" ** _What are you going to do, Omnic?_** " Reaper mocked. " ** _Throw your balls at me?_** "

" _Exactly,_ " Zenyatta said as he sent the glowing orbs in rapid fire at Reaper.

He flinched with every hit until his body dissipated.

" _Not again,_ " D. Va murmured and then said, " _Mei! Freeze the mist!_ "

Mei gave D. Va a confused look.

" _Just do it, before Reaper materializes again!_ " D. Va shouted.

"Not while I'm here," said a cooing female voice.

Then a Venom Mine was tossed onto the ground from an unseen location. Immediately, Mei froze it with her gun and searched the rooftops till she saw a streak of purple hair.

"There!" Mei pointed. "Let her have it, D. Va!"

Without hesitation, D. Va fired the Fusion Cannons in Widowmaker's direction forcing her to retreat. But Reaper appeared on top of Mei's Ice Wall and fired his Shotguns. The students scattered into nearby buildings, leaving the battering ram undefended.

" ** _Seems your plan was to break down the castle wall with this,_** " Reaper guessed as he briefly stopped firing. " ** _Just the kind of thing I would expect Reinhardt to come up with._** "

Then abruptly, the Ice Wall collapsed causing Reaper to fall. Fortunately, he landed on his feet but was greeted by the tip of Genji's Katana.

" _Don't move, or I'll kill you,_ " Genji said firmly.

" ** _I am the reaper. Nothing can stop me!_** "

In the blink of an eye, Reaper vanished and reappeared behind Genji. He shot him several times, causing Genji to collapse onto the ground. Then Zenyatta send another volley of orbs at Reaper while Mei froze him in place with the Endothermic Blaster.

" _Genji!_ " Zenyatta exclaimed, seeing green sparks emanating from his damaged body. " _We walk in harmony, my student._ "

As he sent a Healing Orb Genji's way, the other students came out of their respective hiding places and started to move the battering ram forward with D. Va protecting the front with her Defense Matrix shield.

" _Thanks, Master,_ " Genji bowed once he was fully healed.

" _It was nothing,_ " Zenyatta replied.

"What were those orbs you threw at Reaper?" Mei asked Zenyatta.

" _My Orbs of Destruction,_ " Zenyatta answered. " _I only use them under extreme circumstances._ "

" _You could've used them earlier, though,_ " D. Va said, looking back inside her cockpit.

" _But that is not my role,_ " Zenyatta stated humbly, and then he noticed something ahead.

Up the winding road they had been following, there was a short stone bridge which connected the town to the large castle beyond. However, what drew everyone's attention more was Reinhardt using his Barrier Field to deflect bullets from a sentry-shaped object with a gatling gun attached to it.

" _What's that thing?_ " D. Va asked out loud.

" _Get behind me,_ " Reinhardt grunted. " _I'll smash this Bastion in one strike!_ "

"Wait," Mei hesitated. "This could be the Bastion I was talking about."

" _We don't have time to check,_ " D. Va responded. " _Reinhardt needs our help!_ "

Before anyone could stop her, D. Va leaped forward using MEKA's Boosters and stopped next to Reinhardt where she unleashed a hail of bullets on the sentry-shaped object. This caused it to briefly change shape where for a split second Mei could see a towering figure with a single eye.

 _That is the Bastion!_ Mei realized. _But where's Ganymede?_

She looked around for the yellow bird, but found nothing. Then a loud _boom_ caught her attention, which came from the bridge. The Bastion, now transformed into a miniature tank, had blasted D. Va and Reinhardt back which caused Reinhardt's Barrier Field to go down while D. Va's Defense Matrix went up.

" _Get to the battering ram, Reinhardt,_ " D. Va said, pressing a few buttons. " _I'm going to Nerf the Bastion to Noob Town where it belongs!_ "

" _This isn't a game, D. Va,_ " Reinhardt warned.

" _I know what I'm doing!_ " D. Va insisted. " _Trust me._ "

Sighing, Reinhardt made his way back to the battering ram while D. Va activated MEKA's self-destruct sequence.

" _Get owned!_ " D. Va shouted as she was ejected from MEKA.

It crashed into the Bastion and exploded. The shockwave knocked D. Va back against a wall but she quickly equipped her Light Gun. At first, she saw smoke and assumed both the Bastion and MEKA were destroyed. But then, the Bastion emerged in human-like form with its eye having gone from its usual blue to a deep purple.

To be continued…


	108. Stage 108: Freedom and Payback!

Stage 108: Freedom and Payback!

"That can't be…" D. Va shuttered, while the Bastion held up its submachine gun arm. "My Ultimate Ability was supposed to finish it off."

As the Bastion's gun-arm started firing, Genji charged up the hill and proceeded to block every single bullet that came towards him.

" _Don't just stand there!_ " Genji shouted to D. Va. " _Move!_ "

Without questioning Genji, D. Va rejoined Reinhardt and the others.

" _Pharah,_ " Reinhardt said as she landed from a nearby rooftop. " _Destroy that Bastion with your Barrage Ability!_ "

"With pleasure," Pharah saluted as was about to take off when Mei grabbed her shoulder.

"Wait," Mei urged. "I have a better idea."

With the Endothermic Blaster in hand, Mei charged up to Genji and erected an Ice Wall which blocked the Bastion's gunfire.

" _Thanks,_ " Genji sighed. " _But what are you—_

"Carry me up the wall, Genji!" Mei demanded. "Before the Bastion transforms again."

" _Okay._ " Genji bent forward slightly so Mei could climb onto his back. " _I hope you know what you're doing._ "

While Mei held on tightly, Genji scaled the Ice Wall to the very top where Mei could see the Bastion below as it was repairing itself with a robotic laser screwdriver arm.

"Hey, Bastion!" Mei shouted, getting the Bastion's attention. "Why are you attacking us, and where's your little bird friend Ganymede?"

In response, the Bastion stared blankly up at her with its purple eye as its screwdriver arm became a submachine gun once more.

"This is Sombra's doing, isn't it?" Mei reloaded her Endothermic Blaster and aimed it at the Bastion. "Now you leave me with no choice. Sorry about this!"

She fired several icicles at the Bastion, which caused it to freeze in place.

" _Good thinking, Mei,_ " Genji said as his Katana glowed. " _My blade is ready to be unleashed._ "

"No, let me test my theory out first," Mei insisted and looked back at the group. "Zenyatta!"

" _What is it?_ " Zenyatta asked.

"Can you connect to other Omnics electronically?" Mei proposed.

" _A_ _ll of us can,_ " Zenyatta answered. " _Why do you ask?_ "

"Come take a look at this Bastion," Mei ordered. "I think it's being controlled by Sombra."

" _Don't be ridiculous, Mei,_ " Reinhardt objected. " _Only God Programs can manipulate Omnics, but not hackers._ "

" _That's not true,_ " Genji argued. " _When Sombra went undercover as a student at our school, she caused a virus which affected my motor controls by merely touching me and afflicted my Master with a similar bug which made him unable to use his Healing Orbs during the Watchpoint: Gibraltar Mission._ "

Surprised by this, Mei whispered, " _Were you listening to my private conversation earlier?_ "

" _I had already had my suspicions about Azúcar,_ " Genji explained. " _You just confirmed them for me._ "

" _Well, regardless, I'm not going to let anyone near that killing machine,_ " Reinhardt stated firmly.

" _But I am not a person,_ " Zenyatta claimed. " _Therefore, your declaration does not apply to me._ "

Reinhardt grumbled. " _I meant in the metaphorical sense._ "

" _Your concern for my well-being is most admirable,_ " Zenyatta complimented. " _However, we're wasting precious time by standing here and doing nothing. Now here's what I would like to propose: if I go over to the Bastion and either he attacks me or I get affected by whatever program it's following, then don't hesitate to destroy the Bastion or me._ "

While the rest of the students seemed indifferent, D. Va and Pharah looked concerned. Then as the ice started to melt on the Bastion, Reinhardt looked between it and Zenyatta.

After some brief hesitation, Reinhardt nodded. " _Do what you must._ "

" _You have my_ _thanks._ " Zenyatta made a slight bow and floated over to the Bastion just as Mei lowered the Ice Wall.

Before the Bastion could free itself completely, Zenyatta took a wire from the back of its head and plugged it into his own. As the lights on both Omnics dimmed, Mei watched them with anticipation while Genji placed his Katana back in its sheath. In Zenyatta's mind, he found himself in a purple void with a single blue light shining within it.

" _My friend,_ " Zenyatta said, holding the light in his hands. " _I am here to help. You've been led astray by those who wish to cause destruction and blame our kind for it. We must not let that happen! Free your mind, and be at peace._ "

As Zenyatta's form was encompassed by a golden aura, the small blue light grew brighter until it eliminated the purple void completely. Outside, Mei watched the Bastion's eye change from purple to blue while Zenyatta's lights turned on. The Bastion looked around in confusion, making a series of beeping noises as it did, until its eye noticed Mei and Genji. Seeing them, the Bastion's eye turned red.

" _Do not be frightened, my friend,_ " Zenyatta urged, putting a hand on the Bastion's gun-arm. " _They are not your enemy._ "

The Bastion hesitated and beeped.

" _Your bird? We have not stolen it,_ " Zenyatta insisted. " _Check my memory._ "

Using the same wire that connected them, the Bastion's eye dimmed briefly. Zenyatta waited patiently, until the Bastion finished with its eye changing back to blue once more.

" _See? I was telling the truth, friend,_ " Zenyatta said as he disconnected the Bastion's wire from his head. " _Now, where did you last see your bird?_ "

In response, the Bastion pointed toward the castle.

" _Thank you,_ " Zenyatta acknowledged and turned to Genji and Mei. " _I have helped this Bastion purge the programming that made him attack us. He had apparently stumbled into this place by chance when Talon showed up. They attempted to restrain him, but couldn't. Then the last thing the Bastion remembers is pink wires._ "

"That's Sombra's Hack Ability for sure," Mei remarked. "Did they say what wanted, Bastion? Do you mind if I call you that?"

Staring down at Mei, the Bastion shook its head.

"So you…don't know, and are okay with me calling you Bastion," Mei assumed.

Beeping twice, the Bastion nodded.

" _All right, enough talk,_ " Reinhardt said impatiently. " _Let's get into the castle and retrieve my mentor's remains before Talon does!_ "

Seeing Reinhardt and the other students made Bastion flinch nervously, but Zenyatta assured him they were friends. Then while Mei and Genji moved Zenyatta and Bastion to the side, the other students including Pharah and D. Va led the hovering battering ram right up to the door that blocked the castle entrance. A rocket jet of flame suddenly shot from the ram's rear, causing the head to start bashing the door until it splintered into several fragments.

" _Excellent work!_ " Reinhardt congratulated.

Then he stepped into the castle entrance while the others followed. Bastion decided to stay outside and so Zenyatta stayed with him. As for Mei and Genji, they discovered a small doorway next to the main entrance and stepped through there.

"Do you think Widowmaker could have gone through here?" Mei wondered. "I don't recall seeing her get shot by MEKA."

" _It is possible,_ " Genji agreed.

" ** _You'd be right, Cyborg._** "

Genji and Mei turned to see Reaper standing behind them with his Shotguns pointed at them.

" ** _Now put your hands behind your head and keep quiet,_** " Reaper ordered.

Reluctantly, Mei and Genji did what Reaper asked.

Meanwhile, Reinhardt and the others were distracted by a gate that suddenly closed behind them leaving the great hall before them much dimmer than before with a few shafts of light here and there. The deafening silence was interrupted by an echoing female laugh.

"The party is over, my friends," said Widowmaker as she hung from a chandelier above. "Now I shall kill you all one by one. Who wants to die first? Any volunteers?"

" _Get down from there, you wench!_ " Reinhardt growled, raising his hammer up. " _I'll fight you if the others are spared._ "

"I'm not a bargaining person, old man," Widowmaker replied, loading her Sniper Rifle. "My job is eliminate anyone who stands in Talon's way, and that's what I'm here for."

Just then, a series of gun shots caught everyone's attention including Widowmaker's. From a side-hall appeared Mei and Genji who were followed by Zenyatta and Bastion while a dark mist floated past them.

" _Merde,_ " Widowmaker cursed, and pressed a button on her bluetooth. "They've snapped the Bastion from our control, Sombra."

" _¿Qué (What)? How?_ " exclaimed Sombra's voice.

"I thought you would know the answer to that," Widowmaker said irritably.

" _Well, I can't determine the cause if I'm not there._ "

"Then get over here now!"

" _Sorry, Spider, no can't do. I'm too busy working on a little favor I promised the Los Muertos Gang for letting me crash with them during my mission in Dorado._ "

Widowmaker snorted. "Mind telling me what this so-called 'favor' is?"

" _If I told you, then you'd tell Gabe and he would be after me in a heartbeat. Adiós (Bye)!_ "

The line went dead, making Widowmaker grit her teeth.

"So glad you're here!" D. Va said to Mei and Genji. "What kept you?"

"We were held at gunpoint by Reaper, and then Bastion came charging in and shot him till he dissipated into mist," Mei explained.

Bastion beeped in agreement.

" _We must keep moving,_ " Genji urged Reinhardt. " _Reaper could be heading for Balderich's remains as we speak._ "

" _You're right, Genji,_ " Reinhardt agreed. " _We'll leave the battering ram outside and charge forward. Let me know if you see or find anything out of the ordinary._ "

As Reinhardt charged down the hall, Widowmaker prepared to shoot him when D. Va pulled out her Light Gun and fired at the chain that kept the chandelier hanging. It broke immediately, causing Widowmaker to fall onto the chandelier which broke under her weight.

"That's what you get for calling me a kid," D. Va said as she walked past Widowmaker. "Nice try, though."

Then as D. Va caught up to the others, Reaper appeared next to Widowmaker and lifted her up.

"Where are you taking me?" Widowmaker asked, flinching from the pain.

" ** _Back to Stuttgart,_** " Reaper answered. " _ **You're in no shape to shoot a gun, and I have several complaints for Sombra since this is the second time she's let the Bastion slip through her fingers**_ ** _._** "

"Are you sure she did that by accident?" Widowmaker lifted one hand and placed it against the side of Reaper's mask. "Like her so-called 'failed attempt' at assassinating Volskaya's CEO."

Reaper glared down at Widowmaker. " ** _What are you implying? That she's a traitor?_** "

"I'm not saying that," Widowmaker replied, letting her hand fall. "There's something about her that doesn't seem…faithful to our organization."

" ** _We're all contracted killers, Amélie,_** " Reaper stated. " ** _Faith is a matter of who pays us more, and it just so happens to be Talon right now._** "

Widowmaker's brow furrowed slightly. "Then in that case, we've failed our mission."

" ** _Not quite,_** " Reaper claimed, making Widowmaker stare up at him. " ** _We can sell the information Sombra dug up on Bastions and their schematics to Null Sector in exchange for a favor from Talon. That way, they'll have to hire us again._** "

"Now you're speaking my language," Widowmaker said as a slight smile creased the side of her petite mouth. "Let's go, before those idiots inside realize we're gone."

" ** _Right._** " Gripping Widowmaker tightly, Reaper made his legs turn into mist and the two of them floated out of Eichenwalde toward Stuttgart.

To be continued…


	109. Stage 109: Independent Thought!

Stage 109: Independent Thought!

After Balderich's remains had been found in the great hall, Reinhardt quietly stared at the towering figure in gold armor while the students searched for the other Crusaders.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Reinhardt said with his helmet removed. "I could not bear to come back here, but now I realize that was the most cowardly thing to do. You should have gotten a proper burial, Balderich, not rotted in this tombstone that used to be a castle. The others deserve it, too, and I'm going to make sure that'll happen."

Then Reinhardt knelt before Balderich's corpse with his hammer by his side. D. Va watched from a nearby pillar and felt her chest tighten. Ignoring it, she went outside and summoned a new MEKA to help the other students.

Once the other Crusaders were found, their bodies were taken outside of Eichenwalde to be buried on a hill that overlooked the castle from a distance.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Pharah asked. "The mission statement said we had to bring back the Crusaders' armor."

"Doesn't matter," Reinhardt stated. "Knights should be buried with their armor, or they are considered unworthy to those who remember them."

"Plus, Talon doesn't know where we are," Mei added. "So they won't be able to find the Crusaders' armor, anyway."

"But if the armor's that important, they'll keep looking for it," Pharah reminded Mei.

"Let them try," Reinhardt grumbled. "Unfortunately, the only armor they could use is Balderich's while the rest are too brittle and rusted."

"Even just one set could give them all the information they need to build more," Pharah argued. "We must at least take Balderich's armor with us."

Reinhardt sighed. "We'll wait till Soldier: 76 arrives and see what he thinks."

###

By the time Soldier: 76 arrived in the Shuttle-Jet, it was nightfall. He saw the massive holes Reinhardt had created for his comrades, including Balderich, and asked what was going on. So Reinhardt explained while Pharah made her argument once more. Soldier: 76 listened to both sides and consulted the other founding members for their opinions.

" _The others agree with Pharah,_ " Soldier: 76 proclaimed. " _It would be too risky leaving Balderich's remains unguarded when Talon's still out there._ "

It was then that Bastion emerged from the foliage, startling Soldier: 76 into pulling out the Heavy Pulse Rifle.

"Don't shoot him!" Mei said, standing between Soldier: 76 and Bastion. "He's the one who helped us fight back against Talon, after we got him out of their control."

" _How do you know it's still not being controlled by them?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

"His eye was purple before," Mei explained. "Now look at it."

Soldier: 76 looked at Bastion, who stared back at him with its blue eye.

" _That doesn't tell me anything,_ " Soldier: 76 said cautiously. " _This is the same one you and Tracer encountered, right?_ "

"Yes, but he didn't hurt anything back then."

" _How long has this thing been active?_ "

Bastion made a series of beeping noises in response.

" _My friend says he was activated by his bird friend Ganymede by accident last fall,_ " Zenyatta translated just as Ganymede's sleeping form became visible on Bastion's shoulder in the Shuttle-Jet's headlights. " _He's never even heard of the Omnic Crisis until now._ "

" _That's odd,_ " Soldier: 76 muttered.

"My theory is that this Bastion was originally programmed to attack Stuttgart, but it lay dormant in the Black Forest long enough for the programming to be forgotten," Reinhardt claimed.

"But based on what Tracer told me, he collected data from a fallen Bastion and was about to head towards Stuttgart when Ganymede interfered," Mei chimed in.

" _So you mean to tell me this Bastion's original programming was triggered by collecting information from a dead one and then it stopped because of a bird?_ " Soldier: 76 shook his head. " _Then how did it end up being controlled by Talon?_ "

" _Bastion was exploring Eichenwalde when Talon showed up and tried to restrain_ him," Zenyatta explained. " _But when they couldn't, Sombra hacked into his core memories and took away all semblance of individuality that he had gained since activation. This allowed her to take full control of him, and she also put Ganymede in a cage in case it tried to interfere like before._ "

" _Bastions aren't capable of individual thought,_ " Soldier: 76 argued. " _They're just mechanized killing machines._ "

" _But not this one,_ " Zenyatta said, turning to Bastion. " _When I released him from Sombra's control, I saw the equivalent to a soul within his core memories. Then months ago, I had a vision during meditation which I'm now certain were the Bastion's memories from the time Mei and Tracer encountered it which confirms their story about the Bastion being harmless._ "

" _You're not making any sense, Zenyatta,_ " Soldier: 76 objected.

Zenyatta's expression didn't change. " _You may choose to believe me or not, but if my friend really was a killing machine he wouldn't have tried to help us on his own._ "

An awkward silence followed until Bastion made more beeping noises.

" _My friend is willing to guard the Crusaders' remains, including Balderich's, because it'll keep him away from people and be with nature,_ " Zenyatta responded.

Soldier: 76's eyebrow raised. " _Why does it prefer nature over people?_ "

Bastion beeped some more while Zenyatta nodded.

" _He's worried that his original programming will kick in if too many people are around. Right now, for instance, it's taking him a lot of willpower to not see you as a threat because you're brandishing your gun. So being in the wilderness is the best way to avoid such issues, and he gets to be with his bird friend._ "

While Ganymede continued to sleep, Soldier: 76 glanced at it and sighed.

" _All right,_ " Soldier: 76 said as he lowered his weapon. " _If you're willing to watch over these fallen Crusaders and protect their armor without letting them fall into the wrong hands, then I'll be willing to make you an honorary member of Overwatch so you'd have the proper authority to conduct this task in peace._ "

A series of happy beeps came from Bastion as it nodded in approval.

###

Once the Crusaders were properly buried along with their armor, Soldier: 76 and Reinhardt gave Bastion a brief salute before taking the students into the Shuttle-Jet and flying away. Mei tried to look out the window, but she could not see Bastion's towering form in the gathering dusk.

"I'm going to miss him," Mei muttered. "He'd have been the perfect research assistant for me."

" _I have a feeling you'll see him again in the near future, Mei,_ " Zenyatta said. " _You plan to explore the world after graduation, right?_ "

"Well, look for more Ecopoints specifically," Mei clarified. "I want to know what they learned and use that knowledge to prevent global warming from destroying our planet."

" _That's a pretty large goal for one person to accomplish,_ " Genji noted. " _If you need assistance, I could—_

"No, Genji," Mei interrupted. "I appreciate your offer, but this is something I must do alone. Besides, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be interested in collecting lots of data and compiling it into large calculations that determine climate change and—

"Okay, he gets the point!" D. Va snapped. "No need to rub it in."

"Sorry," Mei apologized, then turned to Genji. "So what plans _do_ you have after graduating from Overwatch High?"

" _I'm not sure,_ " Genji replied. " _Originally, I was planning to remain with the Shambali Monks in Nepal but this school has opened me up to a number of possibilities and I can't decide which one suits me best._ "

"Like what?" Pharah asked.

Genji hesitated. " _I'd rather not talk about it, especially since I don't know if these are my final choices or not._ "

"Just tell them to us, and maybe we can offer some helpful advice," Mei stated.

" _Okay._ " Genji sighed painfully and said, " _Apart from staying with the Shambali Monks, I'm also considering helping my brother take care of the Yakuza gangs in Hanamura or joining something called Blackwatch._ "

"Blackwatch?" D. Va blinked. "What's that?"

" _It's a…special organization within Overwatch that takes on certain missions which are considered 'undesirable' and you have to be the best in your field to be accepted._ "

"They sound like a pretty big deal, then," Mei exclaimed. "I wonder why I've never heard of them before."

" _They're not as much in the spotlight as Overwatch is,_ " Genji stated. " _And they prefer to keep it that way._ "

"Who told you about them?" D. Va asked.

" _McCree,_ " Genji answered. " _He knows some people in it who would be interested in having me work for them._ "

"Then maybe you should consider doing an internship," Pharah suggested. "That way, you'll get a better sense of the group and determine if they're a perfect fit."

" _Actually, that's…what I was planning to do starting next Semester,_ " Genji admitted.

"Well, good luck on that," Mei said cheerfully. "I hope it goes well."

" _Same here,_ " Genji nodded.

To be continued…


	110. Stage 110: A Tragic Loss!

**So this chapter is my version of the events in the** ** _Alive_** **Overwatch Short. Some things will be changed while the rest will stay the same. Hope you enjoy!**

Stage 110: A Tragic Loss!

On a crisp October morning, Tracer had just finished patrolling King's Row, which was unusually quiet, when a call came through on her CommLink.

" _Tracer,_ " Petras' voice said on the other end. " _How are you today?_ "

"Fine," Tracer answered bluntly.

" _Same here,_ " Petras replied before Tracer could ask. " _Anyway, there's going to be a special guest speaking at King's Row tonight and I need you to keep an eye on things from ground-level. There will be secret service agents scattered about, so feel free to let them know of any suspicious activity going on._ "

"What about Shrike?" Tracer asked.

" _He'll be guarding the rooftops alongside a squadron of armed guards._ "

"Must be someone important if this much protection is involved."

" _Does the name 'Tekhartha Mondatta' ring a bell?_ "

"Are you serious?" Tracer exclaimed. "What's he coming here for?"

" _To speak on behalf of the protesters so their violence may be quelled. However, we received a warning that someone's planning to assassinate him during the speech._ "

"Did this warning have a skull-shaped insignia on it, by chance?"

" _No, why?_ "

"I was just curious."

" _Is there something you'd like to share with me?_ "

"It's just…after someone tried to assassinate me my freshman year, I got these threatening messages which all had a purple skull on them."

" _Ah, Sombra's calling card, right?_ "

Tracer blinked her eyes. "How'd you know that?"

" _The UN's been conducting its own investigations into such matters as Sombra, but that's all I can tell you. Anyway, since you've nearly been assassinated before, are you comfortable taking on this mission or should I let Shrike handle it instead?_ "

"I'll be fine."

" _Really?_ "

"Absolutely!"

There was a pause on the other end, making Tracer's heart pound in anticipation.

" _All right. Be at the Meridian on King's Row at 8 PM sharp, and not a minute later._ "

The CommLink communication ended, leaving Tracer to breathe a sigh of relief.

###

" _Remember, Tracer,_ " Shrike said to Tracer in an alleyway later that night. " _If you see anything unusual, report to me or the secret service agents._ "

"Gotcha," Tracer saluted as Shrike ascended a nearby fire-escape.

With her full costume on, Tracer made her way out of the alley towards a large group of humans and Omnics clustered around a platform with a yellow tent-shaped structure on it with a podium in front. While the people chanted Mondatta's name, a little girl noticed Tracer and pointed her out. But Tracer paid no attention and kept her eyes on the platform where a man in a black suit stood. He pressed a button to his earpiece and then nodded before lifting the tent's curtain. From it emerged Tekhartha Mondatta himself, who looked a lot like Zenyatta in body structure but with gold-colored parts and he wore a white robe that covered most of his body leaving one shoulder exposed.

" _My friends,_ " Mondatta said in a calm, soothing voice.

The crowd hushed immediately.

" _It's comforting to see so many humans and Omnics mingling together like this, which makes me hopeful that my dream of a perfect coexistence between our kinds will become a reality._ "

Hearing that, the crowd cheered loudly while a couple embraced. Though when Tracer looked closely, it was a blonde girl wearing an army-green jacket and beanie standing next to a plain-looking Omnic.

" _However, I am well aware of the situation here in King's Row,_ " Mondatta stated, causing the crowd to go silent once more. " _And that is why I have come. True equality cannot be gained through violence, but by love._ "

As Mondatta continued speaking, Tracer noticed the man in the black suit looking concerned as he listened to his earpiece.

" _Haven't heard anything back from Shrike yet. Proceeding to investigate._ " Said a male voice on the other end of the conversation Tracer was listening to on the CommLink.

Then she heard a sharp groan and silence.

 _Something's going on_ , Tracer thought.

Leaving the crowd behind, Tracer went back to the alleyway and ran up the fire-escape Shrike used before. On the rooftop, there were no signs of Shrike anywhere.

"Shrike," Tracer said quietly. "Where are you?"

She called Shrike on the CommLink, but heard nothing. Scanning the nearby rooftops, Tracer noticed two armed guards wearing bulletproof vests looking around when someone came out of nowhere and knocked them out.

 _There you are!_ Tracer took out her Pulse Pistols and Blinked over the rooftops.

###

Glancing over her shoulder, Widowmaker stepped to the edge of the roof holding the wire from the Grappling Hook she used to startle one of the guards. She then wrapped it around her ankle and leaped off the rooftop. Hanging upside-down, she held up her Sniper Rifle and equipped the recon visor which showed a perfect view of Mondatta's head.

"Say goodbye to this world," Widowmaker murmured as she prepared to pull the trigger.

A beeping noise caught her attention, which forced Widowmaker to examine the other lenses which showed a blue blur moving from rooftop to rooftop. Then she looked up just in time to see Tracer hopping down towards her, and immediately started shooting. Unfortunately, Widowmaker missed and was blasted into the nearest window causing the glass to shatter.

"Hiya!" Tracer said, holding her Pulse Pistols up. "Thought you'd never see me again, did you?"

Widowmaker said nothing as she retracted the Grappling Hook and retreated further into the building. Tracer followed and Blinked up the winding staircase inside while Widowmaker used the Grappling Hook to ascend upwards while shooting at Tracer. Then she broke through another glass window further up and swung onto another rooftop where two guards were stationed. In a matter of seconds, Widowmaker took them both out and ran away from the incoming gunfire that came from elsewhere.

 _Seems that old woman wasn't completely knocked out_ , Widowmaker thought. _I should've killed her when I had the chance._

As the gunfire ceased, Tracer's Pulse Pistol shots replaced them. Irked, Widowmaker leaped onto another roof and planted a Venom Mine onto the nearest chimney which exploded as soon as Tracer passed it. The toxin caused Tracer to immediately cough and slow down, which made her trip as a result. Falling on her side, Tracer attempted to get up but was stopped by a heel followed by the _click_ of a Sniper Rifle.

"Such a foolish girl," Widowmaker cooed, standing over Tracer's hunched form.

Immediately, Tracer Recalled and ended up going back to right as she was midair between the previous rooftop and the one Widowmaker ran to. Surprised by this, she landed on the second rooftop and instead of running past the chimney Tracer leaped high up into the air and threw a smoke bomb down at Widowmaker. Naturally, this confused her giving Tracer the opportunity to toss a Pulse Bomb in Widowmaker's direction.

Unfortunately, Widowmaker saw it and shot the bomb causing an explosion which sent Tracer flying off the roof. As she fell, she saw Widowmaker falling too with the Sniper Rifle in her hand. As she pulled the trigger, Tracer immediately Blinked away and found herself on another rooftop. To Tracer's surprise, her Chronal Accelerator wasn't damaged.

"You got lucky," Widowmaker said as she appeared on an adjoining rooftop. "But he didn't."

Realizing what she meant, Tracer looked down and saw Mondatta lying flat on the ground with people screaming below.

"No," Tracer muttered.

"Seems kind of ironic, doesn't it?" Widowmaker mocked. "You put your life on the line for someone else, only to save yourself instead."

Angered, Tracer Blinked over to Widowmaker and tackled her to the ground.

"Why did you do this?" Tracer screamed, holding Widowmaker's head against the roof's edge. "What does Talon hope to gain from Mondatta's death?"

"All it takes is a spark to ignite the flame," Widowmaker responded and chuckled.

While Tracer gave her a confused look, the whirring sounds of a plane engine were heard followed by bright lights. Briefly, Tracer glanced behind her and saw a black jet plane hovering over the rooftop.

" _Au Revoir_ (Goodbye)," Widowmaker murmured as she dragged Tracer off the roof with her.

Before she could Recall, Tracer was slammed against a brick wall and fell onto a lower rooftop with sparks emanating from the Chronal Accelerator. Meanwhile, Widowmaker was hanging on by her Grappling Hook and used it to get back up. She glanced down at Tracer before heading over to the black jet.

"The world's changing," Widowmaker said to herself as she stepped into the black jet. "And there's nothing you, or those fools at Overwatch, can do to stop it."

While the black jet flew away, Tracer desperately called one number on the CommLink that she knew and was surprised to get a quick answer.

" _Hello? Who is this?_ " Winston's voice asked on the other end.

"Winston…help me," Tracer said and passed out.

To be continued…


	111. Stage 111: Aftermath!

Stage 111: Aftermath!

Once Tracer woke up, she was lying on Emily's couch wearing the Chronal Accelerator which didn't have a dent or sparks flying from it.

"Morning, luv," Emily said, standing near the window as the sunlight filtered in.

"How did I get here?" Tracer wondered, putting a hand over the Chronal Accelerator.

"Winston carried you in," Emily answered, hugging her shoulders. "He wasn't…quite what I expected him to be."

"Yeah, I probably should've mentioned he was a talking ape," Tracer admitted.

Emily shrugged. "It was shocking at first, but I quickly adjusted. But what concerned me more were the things Winston said."

"About last night?"

"Yes."

As the image of Mondatta lying dead on the street came into Tracer's mind, she clenched her fist. "How much did he tell you?"

"Enough to get the basic picture, and what that thing on your chest is." Emily turned to face Tracer, showing a tear-stained face. "Why didn't you tell me about it sooner?"

Tracer avoided Emily's stare. "Because I wasn't sure if you'd be trustworthy or not."

"But, I've been your friend since this internship started. Isn't that good enough?"

"This is different, though," Tracer argued, looking down at the Chronal Accelerator's blue light. "I'm not a normal person, Emily. I can travel through time, all thanks to an accident that killed my father. That makes me a freak, and so I've never told anyone about it until recently."

"Who was the first person to know?"

"One of my roommates back at Overwatch High," Tracer said sheepishly. "She's graduated now, but we didn't get along at first. Anyway, she accidentally broke the Chronal Accelerator which almost made me disappear if Winston wasn't there to help me."

"He seems like a good brother."

"In his own way."

Emily smiled and wiped her eyes. "Well, I don't think you're a freak, luv."

Tracer's eyes widened. "Really?"

"I'm actually a little jealous. It would be cool to have that kind of power in my life."

"Well, last night proved how useless this damn 'power' really is."

"What do you mean?"

"I screwed up!" Tracer snapped, which surprised Emily. "Normally, I'm only able to travel a few meters either backwards or forwards in time. But for some reason, I was able to go further back than before. Naturally, I was surprised but decided to take advantage of it and tried to catch Widowmaker off-guard."

"Who's Widowmaker?" Emily asked.

"It's a long story, but the short answer is that she used to be a student at Overwatch High who turned out to be a sleeper agent for Talon and she tried to kill me two years ago."

"Oh my gosh!" Emily exclaimed. "Were you hurt?"

"Fortunately not, thanks to the Chronal Accelerator," Tracer explained. "But anyway, I threw a bomb at her after leaping into the air with this new ability. Then she shot it, which knocked me over the edge of the roof we were fighting on. As we both fell, Widowmaker aimed her sniper rifle at me so I fled by picturing myself somewhere else. I was transported to a different rooftop, and found out afterward that the bullet she fired had hit Mondatta instead of me."

"So that's the shooter Winston talked about."

"Where did he get that information from?"

"Shrike, who was apparently knocked out but recovered quickly and started firing at 'Widowmaker' until you showed up. Then Shrike ceased fire and told the secret service agents to escort Mondatta away from the Meridian."

"But it didn't stop Widowmaker," Tracer reminded Emily. "If I hadn't moved out of the way, though—

"You'd be dead," Emily interrupted and walked over to Tracer. "And everyone who loves you, including myself, would've been unhappy."

"But Mondatta would have lived!" Tracer started feeling tears roll down her eyes. "It's my fault he's dead, even though I had the power to stop it!"

"Please don't think like that," Emily encouraged as she sat down on the couch next to Tracer and wrapped her arms around Tracer's huddled figure. "You tried your best, and that's what counts."

"Even if a life was lost?"

"Heroes can't save everyone, luv. I'm sure your teachers have experienced their share of losses too."

Thinking back to the way Soldier: 76 talked about losing Gabe, or Ana having to sacrifice her husband to stop the Omnics, Tracer let Emily's words sink in and cried some more while Emily kept hugging her the whole time.

###

Two weeks later, Tracer was called into the Houses of Parliament by Petras. Under pressure from Shrike, he had given her some time off to recover from Mondatta's death. Now Tracer felt a little better, and came in seeing Shrike standing next to a laptop containing Petras' silhouette on it.

" _Ah, now we can properly start today's meeting,_ " Petras stated from the laptop's screen. " _Have you kept up with the news during your absence, Tracer?_ "

"Um, a little," Tracer muttered.

" _Then you're aware of the recent protests that occurred in Dorado after the Los Muertos Gang hacked into LumériCo's database and leaked some important emails regarding their connections to Vishkar as well as some other 'unscrupulous' things._ "

"I thought the Los Muertos Gang wasn't particularly tech-savvy."

" _You're right, but they had help._ " Petras pulled up a picture of a wall with graffiti on it.

Unlike the other graffiti walls Tracer had seen, though, this one contained an image of a purple skull surrounded by a hexagon.

"Sombra," Tracer realized. " _She_ did this?"

" _That's what we've come to the conclusion of,_ " Petras replied, lowering the image. " _Because of her, the Market Street celebration of LumériCo's latest power plant installment was ruined by protesters and Guillermo Portero was forced to resign. Also, millions of dollars in gold were stolen from the Banco de Dorado the same day._ "

"Was she responsible for that?"

" _No,_ " Petras clarified. " _These two criminals were the ones responsible._ "

Another image was pulled up, and it showed a mugshot containing two familiar figures.

"That's Junkrat and Roadhog!" Tracer stated, recognizing them. "I thought they were in a Correctional Facility."

" _Not anymore,_ " Petras said somberly. " _Apparently, they managed to escape from it and hitched a flight to Japan where they robbed several arcades in Hanamura._ "

"Did Hanzo try to stop them?"

" _He tried, but they were too much for him to handle. Then from there, they went to Dorado and robbed the Banco de Dorado while the protests were going on._ "

"Any idea where they're heading to next?"

" _Unfortunately, yes,_ " Petras replied. " _We suspect they're coming here to rob the famous Crown Jewels to top off their recent crime spree._ "

"That's terrible! We must prevent them from stealing the jewels at all costs!"

" _And here's where you come in. Because of how things went down on King's Row, the Prime Minister is heavily doubting Overwatch's effectiveness. But I want to prove him wrong for the sake of defending your organization. So help us catch these criminals, and maybe we'll extend your internship to a full year._ "

"Thank you, sir!" Tracer saluted. "I won't disappoint you again!"

" _Then get to it. They could show up any day now._ "

As the laptop screen went blank, Shrike and Tracer regarded one another before heading down to the place where the Crown Jewels were kept.

To be continued…


	112. Stage 112: Tough Situation!

Stage 112: Tough Situation!

At the Tower of London, which was a large castle-like structure and several buildings surrounded by a stone wall that stood next to the Thames River, Tracer and Shrike talked to the security staff about locking up the Crown Jewels indefinitely so Junkrat and Roadhog couldn't steal them. They immediately abided by it, which left a bunch of angry tourists complaining outside the entrance.

" _We're really sorry for the inconvenience, folks, but there's a couple of bad blokes coming this way to rob these jewels you really wanted to see,_ " Tracer said through a megaphone. " _So for your safety, the Jewel House is closed today._ "

"For how long?" asked a man who wore a T-shirt with an American flag on it.

" _Depends on when the guys show up,_ " Tracer replied. " _But for now, just go about your business and stay alert. If you see anyone who looks like a Junker, report to me or the security staff._ "

As holographic images of Roadhog and Junkrat appeared in front of Tracer, she turned off the megaphone and Blinked toward a turret along the outside wall where she found Shrike looking through his sniper rifle.

"See anything?" Tracer asked.

" _Nothing so far,_ " Shrike responded. " _The crowd seems to be dispersing._ "

"That's good," Tracer sighed. "It'll mean less innocent people to worry about."

" _And that's always a plus,_ " agreed Shrike.

"So…how long have you been doing this kind of thing?"

" _For a while,_ " answered Shrike.

"Like, since the Omnic Crisis?"

" _Pretty much._ "

"Wow, I wonder if you know someone named Ana."

Shrike flinched. " _I've…heard of her._ "

"She's pretty famous, so I'm not surprised."

" _Yeah._ "

There was an awkward silence that followed, leaving Tracer and Shrike speechless.

"Well, I'd better go make sure all the possible entrances are blocked off," Tracer said after a pause. "Let me know if any suspicious characters come along."

Shrike nodded silently and kept staring into the scope of the sniper rifle.

###

A few days later, Tracer was strolling about when a loud explosion caught her attention.

"Great Scott!" Tracer exclaimed, looking northward.

There, the wall faced the Tower Bridge Road which ran over the Thames River. From behind it appeared a brief cloud of smoke followed by the sound of gunfire.

"I think there's been a breach in the wall," Tracer said to Shrike over the CommLink. "I'm going to check it out."

" _No,_ " Shrike ordered. " _Head over to the Jewel House. I'll see what's going on._ "

"Are you sure?"

Sensing the doubt in Tracer's voice, Shrike said, " _Don't worry about me. Just protect the jewels at all cost._ "

The CommLink signal then died out, which forced Tracer to Blink over to the Jewel House entrance and wait. Several minutes passed, and no word was heard from Shrike.

 _There's no need to rush into things_ , Tracer reminded herself. _That's what got Mondatta killed._

Just then, a couple of figures came strolling down the dirt-covered path with something slumped over the second person's shoulder. Recognizing who they were, Tracer pulled out her Pulse Pistols and Blinked over to them.

"Don't move!" Tracer snapped, pointing one pistol at each figure. "Or I'll shoot."

"Aw, Tracer," Junkrat sneered. "That's no way to treat a former classmate."

While Roadhog said nothing, Tracer got a better look at the thing he was carrying.

"What're you doing with Shrike?" Tracer demanded. "He's not dead, is he?"

"Who?" Junkrat felt Roadhog's giant hand tap his shoulder and looked up at him. "What?"

Roadhog pointed to Shrike's body.

"Oh," Junkrat realized and turned back to Tracer. "You mean this guy."

As if on queue, Roadhog tossed Shrike onto the ground face-up. But what drew Tracer's attention more was his cracked mask which showed a familiar face underneath.

"Ana!" Tracer exclaimed.

"So you didn't know it was her?" Junkrat snorted and laughed.

"Laugh all you want, rat-face, but you're not getting past me," Tracer threatened.

"Ooh, did I touch a nerve?" Junkrat mocked.

Tracer's face flushed red. "That's enough! If you two killed Ana, I'll—

"Now hold on a minute, luv," Junkrat interrupted. "We didn't say anything about killing her. She's just knocked out."

Looking briefly at Ana, Tracer noticed she was breathing slightly and relaxed a little.

"However, we're willing to use any means necessary to get our prize." Junkrat snapped his finger, causing Roadhog to point a device shaped like a nail-gun down at Ana. "If you open the Jewel House for us, then we'll let Ana go. Otherwise…"

Roadhog then fired some pieces of scrap metal from the device downward. They missed Ana's head by a few inches, making Tracer nervous.

"So what's it going to be?" Junkrat asked.

While Tracer weighed the options, she kept seeing Mondatta's dead body in her mind.

 _Don't think about that_ , Tracer urged mentally. _Just concentrate on the situation at hand, and—_

"We don't have all day, you know," Junkrat interrupted.

"Shut up!" Tracer shouted irritably.

"Hmm, seems you've never been taught how to deal with hostage situations since I left Overwatch High," Junkrat guessed. "Quite pathetic, if you ask me."

Ignoring Junkrat's words, Tracer came to the realization she was cornered. Looking back at the Jewel House entrance, she aimed one pistol at the glass doors and fired. The handles were fried and left a gaping hole between them.

Tracer sighed. "There, now let Ana go."

"I knew we could come to some kind of agreement," Junkrat remarked as Roadhog lowered his weapon. "After all, we're not murderers."

As Junkrat walked past, Roadhog suddenly punched Tracer in the face with his huge fist. This threw Tracer back several feet across the lawn where she fell on her side and passed out.

###

" _What were you thinking?_ " Petras said, trying to control the temper in his voice. " _First Mondatta, and now this!_ "

"They are _not_ the same thing," Ana objected, not wearing the mask anymore. "And no lives were lost as a result of Junkrat and Roadhog's actions."

" _But they got away with the Crown Jewels!_ " Petras yelled. " _The Queen's not happy about it, and neither is the Prime Minister. So to satisfy both parties, I have no choice but to terminate your internship, Tracer._ "

Holding an ice-pack on the side of her face, which was swollen from Roadhog's punch, Tracer gave a stern look at Petras' image on the computer. "How can you do that? I was only concerned with saving Ana's life! Is that a crime?"

" _No, but political tensions can't be ignored,_ " Petras stated. " _I know you're just a beginner, Tracer, but when a country's leaders are counting on you to be an example of your organization you've got to step up your game._ "

"And I didn't." Tracer looked down at the floor in embarrassment.

" _Frankly, these situations were beyond your control,_ " Petras replied solemnly. " _I should've known better than to trust you to handle them._ "

As Tracer felt tears welling up in her eyes, she heard the doors suddenly open.

To be continued…


	113. Stage 113: Decisions and Love!

Stage 113: Decisions and Love!

" _Emily!_ " Petras said in a surprised tone. " _This is a private meeting._ "

"I don't care," Emily grumbled, marching toward the computer screen. "You've got no right to judge Tracer like that when she's been working so hard for this internship! If you actually cared, you'd actually be here instead of talking through a damn computer!"

" _That's no way to speak to your boss!_ " Petras argued. " _Now leave before I consider firing you._ "

"Fine!" Emily snapped. "Go ahead and fire me."

Before Petras got the chance to speak, another image appeared on the computer screen with Winston's face on it.

" _Pardon me, but it seems we're not getting anywhere with this pointless arguing,_ " Winston said as he adjusted his glasses.

"Winston!" Tracer exclaimed as she wiped her eyes. "How did you—

" _I'll explain later,_ " Winston interceded and his brow furrowed. " _Now, Mister Petras, I understand that Tracer hasn't quite met the Prime Minister's expectations as a representative for Overwatch. So you're thinking of terminating the internship and sending her back to Overwatch High, correct?_ "

" _Yes,_ " Petras reluctantly answered.

" _But Miss Emily is arguing that you're in the wrong because despite Tracer's recent failures she has worked really hard and maybe improved somewhat based on Ana's account of this robbery._ "

"In terms of lives saved, yes," Ana affirmed.

" _Now why did you pretend to be someone else this whole time?_ " Winston asked.

Feeling everyone's eyes on her, Ana gulped. "Because Soldier: 76 ordered me to keep an eye on Tracer for him."

Surprised by this, Tracer almost dropped her ice-pack.

"Oh, dear," Emily realized. "I think you need a new ice-pack, luv. Mind if we leave for a bit while you guys sort this stuff out?"

Ana looked to the computer screen where Winston regarded Petras who paused before nodding. Then Emily helped Tracer up out of her chair and together they left the hall and went into the secretary's office. There, Emily went to a miniature fridge and pulled out a fresh ice-pack.

"Um, thanks," Tracer muttered, giving Emily the slushy ice-pack she had been holding since the meeting began. "For defending me, but I don't want you to lose your job because of—

"It's okay, sweetheart," Emily insisted, wrapping the new ice-pack in the cloth Tracer was using. "I didn't really like this job, anyway. Only took it cuz my dad was buddies with Petras before he became Overwatch's Director."

Tracer was about to say something when Emily suddenly kissed her swollen cheek before putting the new ice-pack on it.

"What was that for?" Tracer asked, feeling suddenly warmer than usual.

"I've heard kisses can sometimes make wounds feel better," Emily replied, looking embarrassed. "At least, that's what my mum taught me."

The two stood awkwardly close for a few moments, neither saying a word.

"Hey," Tracer spoke, getting Emily's attention. "In case we never get to see each other again, there's been something I've been wanting to tell you for a while."

"I'm listening," Emily responded, smiling a little.

"Well, uh…" Tracer paused, trying to find the right words. "Ever since we met, I've been experiencing these weird 'feelings' around you. Like, I'll get really warm and feel embarrassed about it afterwards. At first, I thought it was sickness but now I'm sure it's not. So, I talked to a friend from school and she thinks what I'm experiencing is…love, in the romantic sense."

Hearing that, Emily started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Tracer asked.

"Sorry," Emily apologized, forcing herself to stop. "I just can't believe you mistook loving someone for being sick."

"I've never felt this way before, so don't fault me for not knowing," Tracer whined.

"It's not like that," Emily clarified. "Actually, the truth is…I think I love you too."

Tracer blushed. "Really?"

"Yeah," Emily admitted, blushing as well. "Been having the same feelings too, though I knew what they were right away."

"So you like girls more than boys?"

Emily nodded. "Never dated anyone, though. Just admired the ones I liked from afar, because I was too afraid to approach them. Was worried what they would think of me. But you…you're the first one I'm not afraid to love openly."

Then without any hesitation, Emily kissed Tracer on the lips. At first, Tracer was surprised but as the warm feeling welled up and became stronger she decided to accept it.

###

" _Took you long enough,_ " Petras said irritably as Emily and Tracer came back into the hall. " _We've all come to a decision regarding your internship, Tracer._ "

"Okay," Tracer said, wiping Emily's lipstick from her mouth. "So what's the deal?"

"You'll be staying here until after Christmas," Ana stated.

" _Then I'll have you come down to Watchpoint: Gibraltar to continue your internship with me instead of Petras,_ " Winston concluded.

Tracer couldn't believe what she heard. "What could I do at Watchpoint: Gibraltar? I'm not a genius or anything."

" _It's not much,_ " Winston assured. " _I'll just have you do various tasks around the facility under my supervision, and then maybe aid our security team if someone decides to break in again. Does that sound doable?_ "

"Um, sure," Tracer answered.

Sensing the doubt in Tracer's voice, Winston offered, " _If you're worried you might fail again, we can try it for a month and see what happens._ "

"Sounds reasonable to me," Emily said cheerfully, putting her hands on Tracer's shoulders. "What do you say, luv?"

Tracer smiled a little. "Yeah, I can do that."

"Then it's settled," Ana confirmed.

" _In the meantime, you'll be working alongside the City of London police,_ " Petras stated, getting Tracer's attention. " _However, you will only interfere unless I allow it._ "

"You're not staying?" Tracer said to Ana.

"It would be too dangerous for me to stick around, since my cover's been blown," Ana explained. "And besides, you don't need my help anymore."

"But I screwed things up," Tracer proclaimed. "I didn't listen to you both times, endangered several lives—

"And now you know better," Ana interrupted. "The important thing is to not dwell on the past, but think of the future."

Then Ana strolled out of the hall, while Winston and Petras' images on the computer-screen disappeared leaving Tracer and Emily all alone.

"So…want to go to Bell for Fish & Chips?" Emily asked.

"Heck yeah!" Tracer concurred. "Though yours are definitely better."

The two laughed and walked out.

To be continued…


	114. Stage 114: Happy Gatherings!

**So this is my version of the Overwatch Comic** ** _Reflections_** **(aka the Christmas comic), which I thought would be a nice breather between the previous story-arc (which was kind of depressing) and the next one which will introduce Doomfist into this story followed by Orisa! Hope you guys are enjoying my fanfic so far and thanks for all the support!**

Stage 114: Happy Gatherings!

"You _kissed_ her?" Mei exclaimed, looking down at her computer screen which had Emily's face on it. "So does this mean you're a couple?"

" _Sort of,_ " Emily murmured. " _We're taking it slow, but it's going great so far._ "

"I heard from Tracer that you quit your job as Petras' assistant secretary, even though he decided not to fire you."

" _Yeah, I'm now working at Bell as an assistant cook,_ " Emily said excitedly. " _I know that sounds like a downgrade from a secretary, but I absolutely love it! The pay's decent, the boss is nicer, and it's nice cooking food for other people besides your roommate. Not that Tracer didn't appreciate my cooking or anything._ "

"She's been constantly telling me about how amazing your food is," Mei responded. "Wish I could be there instead of staying at school."

" _You don't have a home to go back to?_ "

Mei shook her head. "I lost my parents a long time ago."

" _Oh, that's too bad,_ " Emily frowned. " _Maybe once Tracer gets home, I'll see if she can talk to Winston about picking you up before we head out to Watchpoint: Gibraltar._ "

"You don't have to do that for me," Mei insisted. "I'll be fine. I have Genji and Pharah to keep me company."

" _I thought Pharah was going to be spending time with her mother?_ "

"Something came up, and so she's stuck here too."

" _Aw, no one should have to miss out on spending time with their families on Christmas._ "

"Ideally, but it does happen."

Emily looked behind her at the clock and murmured, " _She should be back by now._ "

"Any idea what's taking her so long?"

" _Well, it's a blizzard out there,_ " Emily stated as she parted a curtain which revealed lots of snow falling down. " _Maybe she got lost on her way back._ "

"Well, I'll check back later once she's safely home," Mei suggested.

" _Okay,_ " Emily agreed. " _Talk to you later, Mei!_ "

The two waved before Emily's image faded.

As she looked outside and saw sun instead of snow, Mei sighed. "I wonder how D. Va's doing."

###

In South Korea at the back of a television studio, D. Va was standing outside freezing in her female Santa get-up which included a pointed hat with a light pink puff, matching pink buttons, a dark-blue coat with a medium-length skirt, and knee-length snow boots. She kept trying to call Lúcio, but got nothing in response.

Frowning after hearing Lúcio's voicemail the third time, D. Va hung up. "Guess he's not seeing me for Christmas, after all."

Putting her phone in the coat pocket, D. Va sighed and trudged down the alley as snow fell in waves.

"Merry Christmas, Princess!"

Hearing that voice, D. Va turned around and saw Lúcio standing right behind her. He was wearing a turquoise silver and black version of his regular outfit but with longer sleeves and a blue Santa hat complemented by matching ski goggles.

"Where did you come from?" D. Va asked. "Shouldn't I have heard your roller blades by now?"

"I've made some improvements on them," Lúcio said, lifting one foot up. "Now they can trek silently on any surface, which makes getaways so much easier."

D. Va smirked. "Still being chased by Vishkar, then?"

"Unfortunately, so this will be a short visit," Lúcio answered, hugging D. Va abruptly who in turn hugged him back.

The two stood that way for a while as the snow fell down around them.

"So, know of any good Korean barbecue places around here?" Lúcio asked, breaking from the embrace. "Cuz man, I'm starving!"

"I know one that's pretty good," D. Va said, kissing Lúcio before taking his hand. "Follow me."

###

Meanwhile, Tracer was running down the snow-covered streets of London when she heard someone shout, "Help, thief!". Looking behind, Tracer saw a family of three being robbed of their presents by a shady guy with ash-blond hair and a black scarf covering the lower half of his face. She was technically off-duty from assisting the City of London police, and thus didn't have the proper authority to interfere.

 _I should let them handle this_ , Tracer thought. _I'm late enough as it is._

But the further she ran, the more guilty Tracer became. This forced her to turn around, Blink toward the thief, knock him unconscious, and take the presents from his hands.

"Here you go!" Tracer shouted as she tossed the presents into the father's hand and leaped onto a nearby roof. "Happy Christmas!"

She stopped in front of a store and immediately went inside. Her eyes fell on a green and black scarf, which made Tracer smile.

"Yes," Tracer said under her breath as she grabbed the scarf. "Emily will love this."

But as soon as Tracer held it, she noticed a man standing right in front of her wearing a cap and looking surprised. He looked at the scarf Tracer had, and his eyes fell downward.

"Oh, you wanted this too," Tracer realized and sighed. "Here, take it."

She handed the scarf over to the man, who's face lit up. But then an Omnic in a business suit came by and said the store was closing. Reluctantly, Tracer left and sat down on the curb.

"This sucks," Tracer murmured. "I don't have a gift for Em, and my Chronal Accelerator's spent from all the running I've been doing."

Then just as Tracer got up, she heard soft footsteps and looked behind. It was the girl who was with the family that was being robbed, and in her hands she held a green present box with a red ribbon wrapped around it.

"My mum told me to give this to you," the girl said shyly. "As thanks for stopping the thief."

"Thank you," Tracer smiled, taking the present from the girl's hands. "But isn't there someone at home who—

"We've got plenty of gifts already," the girl explained. "And besides, you earned it."

Before Tracer could protest, the girl ran back down the sidewalk where her parents were waiting.

###

Back at the apartment Tracer took off her jacket, arm-guards, gloves, shoes and lay down on the couch. "Whew! What a day!"

"Mei called on your computer earlier," Emily said from the kitchen. "Said she'd call back once you were back."

"Oh, I don't know if I'll have time," Tracer muttered as she rubbed her face. "We've got to get to Winston's soon, so I'll need to gather my things and—

"The Shuttle-Jet won't be arriving for another hour," Emily interrupted as she came into the living-room carrying two cups of hot cocoa. "We still have plenty of time."

Tracer took a cup from Emily's hand and said, "I know, but—

"Is that for me?" Emily exclaimed, seeing the present on the coffee table between her and Tracer.

"Um, that's…" Tracer faltered as Emily unwrapped the present vigorously.

From the box, Emily pulled out a green and black scarf that looked identical to the one Tracer attempted to grab earlier and put it on with a happy smile on her face.

"This is perfect, luv," Emily stated before kissing Tracer on the mouth.

###

"Looks like it's just going to be you and me again, Athena," Winston sighed. "Haven't heard anything from Tracer and Emily since they left the apartment."

" _I'm sure they're on their way,_ " Athena's voice assured, coming from a small laptop where snowflakes fluttered down the screen and a Santa hat adorned Athena's 'A' symbol.

"Maybe," Winston replied, wearing a large green sweater with little Athena symbols wrapped around the arms and chest.

Around him, the satellite control-room was covered in Christmas decorations and there was a large table set out with a fully cooked turkey and several beverages laid on top. Just then, Athena told Winston someone was at the door and he answered. Outside, Tracer and Emily stood wearing winter coats looking both tired and happy.

"Sorry for the wait," Tracer stammered as she held her arms out. "Had to get all my stuff cleared out of Emily's apartment, which wasn't much, but we're here now."

Winston snorted. "That could've waited till tomorrow. Still, I'm glad you two could make it."

Wrapping them in his huge ape arms, Winston smiled as Tracer and Emily laughed merrily.

###

"I feel bad lying to my daughter," Ana said, sitting with Soldier: 76 in the living-room of his home. "But I didn't want you to be alone this Christmas."

"This is what you chose to do, and I'm grateful for the gesture," Soldier: 76 replied, looking at the photograph of him Ana and Gabe when they were younger. "I wonder what Gabe's doing."

"Who knows," Ana shrugged. "He's probably killing more innocent people."

###

"Hello, Gérard," Widowmaker said, standing in front of a snow-covered gravestone wearing a long gray trench coat. "It's been a long time since I last visited. After becoming an assassin, I've killed so many people and quickly forgotten them. But this latest kill…was a big one, and it reminded me of you."

While Widowmaker stood in front of Gérard's grave silently, Reaper leaned against a dead tree nearby with his arms folded.

To be continued…


	115. Stage 115: Succession!

Stage 115: Succession!

It had been three months since Tracer started her new internship at Watchpoint: Gibraltar, and so far not a lot had been happening.

"It's no different from going to school," Tracer complained to Emily over the computer in her sleeping quarters. "You'd think working at a satellite launching facility would be cool, but it isn't. All I do is help Winston and the other staff members with their projects, then occasionally security asks me to check something out though it ends up being a false alarm."

" _But isn't this what you wanted, after what happened here?_ " Emily asked.

"At first, but now I'm so bored," Tracer groaned.

" _Two more months, luv, and you'll get to spend summer vacation with me,_ " Emily teased.

"Right. I got my dad's permission for that, though he's still new to the idea of us being a couple."

" _He sounds old-fashioned, but cool at the same time. When will you introduce me to him?_ "

"Um, soon," Tracer fibbed. "How are things on King's Row?"

" _Pretty crazy, actually. The protesters are back, but most of them are made up of Omnics now._ "

"Are they purple in color?"

Emily nodded. " _Their numbers are growing and the police are on edge cuz they keep threatening to destroy humans in retaliation for Mondatta's death, whom they're convinced was killed by a human._ "

"Well, they aren't too far from the truth."

" _I think I heard someone refer to them as 'Null Sector,' but I'm not sure what that means._ "

"I'll look them up when I can, and tell you my findings."

" _Sounds good,_ " Emily yawned. " _I should get to bed._ "

"Same here," Tracer agreed. "Love you, Em."

" _Love you too, Len._ " Emily blew a kiss at Tracer before shutting off her screen.

###

The next morning, Tracer was reading _The Guardian_ online when she came across an article that surprised her. It showed a mugshot of Doomfist II aka The Scourge over the words 'Doomfist Protege Found Dead in Prison'. As Tracer quickly read the article, the speakers suddenly called her name. Immediately, she got changed into her costume and Blinked into the briefing room where Winston normally met her. This time, however, Genji was present as well.

"Hey," Tracer said excitedly. "Haven't heard from you in a while."

" _I'm here on behalf of Blackwatch,_ " Genji answered.

"Blackwatch?" Remembering her brief visit to the future, Tracer asked, "Is that who you're interning with?"

In response, Genji made a slight nod. " _Have you heard the news regarding Scourge's death?_ "

"I was just reading about it online," Tracer admitted.

" _Then you're aware of who killed him._ "

"Yeah, I think so." Tracer thought back to the article and a name flashed in her mind. "It was Akande…something."

"Akande Ogundimu," Winston corrected. "He's the heir to a prosthetic-technology company owned by a famous Nigerian family. He also has competed in several martial arts tournaments around the world, having mastered African fighting styles such as Dambe and Gidigbo. But after the Omnic Crisis, Akande lost his right arm and got it replaced with an enhanced prosthetic one. This made him unable to compete because of laws restricting the use of artificial limbs."

"Oh, poor guy," Tracer remarked.

" _Then he met Scourge, who offered to hire him as a mercenary,_ " Genji stated. " _Not only did Akande accept this, but he also became acquainted with Talon after Scourge was arrested two years ago._ "

"So what has this got to do with Akande killing Scourge?" Tracer asked.

" _It seems Talon had persuaded Akande to enter the prison, and kill Scourge for his gauntlet,_ " Genji replied.

"That's awful," Tracer flinched. "Why would they make him do that?"

"To use him for something they've got planned, and I believe it has something to do with the Doomfist Gauntlet," Winston guessed. "Anyway, I called Soldier: 76 to let him know and he's giving me the okay to investigate the situation."

"Then you're going away?" Tracer said, feeling a little sad.

"Yes, but I'm bringing you and Genji along with me," Winston confirmed. "It'll be a nice change of pace from the dull routine this facility has to offer."

Tracer hesitated. "Um, I don't know if I can do this."

" _Why not?_ " Genji questioned. " _You've always been confident and eager to go into battle._ "

"Normally, but Mondatta's death shook me up," Tracer said. "I couldn't save him, and failed to stop the Crown Jewels from being stolen. That's what got my original internship terminated. I don't want to screw another mission up, in case someone gets hurt or even killed."

"That's the risk we Heroes have to take," Winston responded, putting his large hand on Tracer's shoulder. "You can't dwell on the mistakes of the past, or you'll never save the people who need help in the present."

" _And you're not going alone,_ " Genji added, putting his hand on Tracer's other shoulder. " _Winston and I will be with you every step of the way._ "

Seeing the two look at her with confident stares, Tracer sighed. "All right. I'll do it, for the people of Numbani!"

"That's the spirit," Winston smirked.

###

Several hours later, Tracer Genji and Winston arrived in Numbani to find it devoid of people and Omnics alike.

"This is creepy," Tracer murmured. "I've never seen an empty city before."

" _Well, this is what happens when the Mayor of Numbani goes through the effort of evacuating everyone prior to Akande's arrival,_ " Genji remarked calmly. " _So we should be able to find him without too much difficulty._ "

"He'd better not be heading for the museum," Winston muttered. "I wish that Gauntlet had stayed destroyed and not been fixed."

As he spoke, something leaped off a nearby building. It landed right in front of them, sending a shockwave that sent the three flying. But while Tracer managed to Recall and grab onto Genji who leaped onto a nearby skyscraper, Winston allowed the armor on his suit to absorb most of the impact.

"So you're the beasts who've been sent to hunt me," said a strong masculine voice. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

Tracer looked down and saw a tall dark-skinned man standing in a crater caused by the shockwave. White war-paint covered his face and left shoulder, while his right arm was encased in a gold-colored gauntlet with spikes on it. His clothes consisted of sideways headphones, white pants wrapped in red cloth, and knee-long sandals protected by gold kneepads that matched his gauntlet.

"Akande, I presume," Winston responded while adjusting his glasses which weren't destroyed during the shockwave.

This made the dark-skinned man frown. "You may call me Doomfist III, or The Successor."

"Your legacy has long since passed," Winston claimed. "After I jailed the original Doomfist."

"He was too old," Doomfist remarked coldly. "So you actually did him a favor, Monkey."

Winston grumbled. "I don't like being called that, considering I'm more intelligent that the average ape."

"Oh," Doomfist realized. "You're one of those genetically enhanced apes from the Lunar Colony incident. How did you survive the uprising intact?"

"It's a long story," Winston replied briefly. "But I can assure you that I'm nothing like the ones who massacred the scientists."

"Really? Then let's find out."

To be continued…


	116. Stage 116: The Hunt and the Sacrifice!

**All right, here's my version of the Doomfist Origin Story video with some original bits thrown in. Hope you enjoy!**

Stage 116: The Hunt and the Sacrifice!

Before Winston could react, Doomfist rushed forward and punched him with the gauntlet. This sent Winston flying back several feet until he crashed into a shop window at the far end of the street. Gritting her teeth, Tracer Blinked out of Genji's grasp and landed on the ground with her Pulse Pistols out. Immediately, Doomfist picked up a nearby car and threw it at her. Fortunately, Tracer was able to dodge it and fired energy bullets in Doomfist's direction. But for some reason, the bullets were deflected by an invisible barrier that surrounded Doomfist on all sides no matter where Tracer shot at him.

"So annoying," Doomfist noted as he watched Tracer's movements without turning his head. "Like a fly that won't go away."

"That's what Widowmaker called me," Tracer remarked. "I take it you've met her."

"Indeed," Doomfist replied. "She appreciates your help in giving her the clear shot she needed to take Mondatta's life."

Hearing that, Tracer flinched giving Doomfist enough time to punch her away but she Recalled and dodged it. Then as Shuriken came flying down from the sky, Doomfist looked up and saw Genji running toward him along the skyscraper's side. In retaliation, he fired energy bursts from the knuckles on the fingerless glove he wore on his other hand.

"You must be the Green Sparrow Sombra mentioned," Doomfist guessed as Genji landed and deflected the energy bursts with his Katana. "She had a lot of interesting things to say about you."

" _I'm sure she did,_ " Genji muttered bluntly.

"Your brother, Hanzo, sounded like someone I could get along with," Doomfist responded, briefly lowering his hand. "Maybe he could join us, and restore the Shimada Clan to its former glory."

" _Never,_ " Genji shook his head. " _He's a member of Overwatch now. He wouldn't dream of joining Talon to pursue such a worthless dream._ "

"Let's see if he changes his mind, after I crush you into pieces!"

Then Doomfist slammed his gauntlet on the ground, sending Genji flying into the air along with several cars. As one came flying toward him, Genji used the Katana to slice it in half. This provided temporary cover for Doomfist, who had leaped up with the car, and allowed him to take Genji by surprise as he punched him midair. Genji hit the ground hard enough to bounce off the road and fall into the side of a car with sparks emanating from his cybernetic suit.

"You're not as durable as you seem," Doomfist observed after landing firmly on the ground.

Meanwhile, Winston had recovered from the blow and stumbled down the street on all-fours to find Genji flinching from his injuries while Tracer attempted to attack Doomfist once more.

"My personal shields are up," Doomfist explained to Tracer. "You'll never hit me no matter how hard you try."

"Oh, yeah," Tracer grinned. "Well, I'm not stopping until I find your weakness."

"Good call," Doomfist acknowledged. "But you're too late."

In a split second, Doomfist grabbed Tracer from behind and yanked the back part off her Chronal Accelerator. Winston watched in horror as she screamed and Blinked around uncontrollably before fading altogether. This made Winston remove his glasses as his fur turned red and his eyes glowed yellow. He then let out a blood-curdling roar, which made Doomfist give Winston an amused look.

"I see you've given into your inner beast," Doomfist grinned as his gauntlet glowed blue. "Now the real test of strength can begin."

As Winston bounded straight toward him and leaped into the air with his fists thrust downward, Doomfist raised his gauntlet-covered fist to meet Winston's.

###

"Oh, not again," Tracer said to herself as she drifted through the time-stream. The Chronal Accelerator was still on her, though, despite being broken. "I've got to concentrate on Doctor Winston. He's the only one who could help me fix this."

As Tracer closed her eyes and focused, she felt her momentum slowing down and land on solid ground. This was followed by voices and gunfire, causing Tracer to look. She was back in the large room with the glass ceiling, with the statue knocked over and debris everywhere. Quickly, Tracer ducked behind the fallen statue and watched. When the debris cleared, she saw Gabriel Reyes lying on the ground with two shotguns scattered on the floor while a younger Jack stood pointing a rifle down at him.

"Give it up, Gabe," Jack said, breathing heavily as blood dripped from a fresh cut marked across his face. "This so-called 'revolution' of yours is over."

"Not…quite," Gabriel replied, struggling to speak as his mouth was partially torn off revealing the bone underneath. "I've got…a bomb."

Jack flinched. "Where?"

"I'm not telling…unless you agree to help me take down…Overwatch," Gabriel stated, holding up a small device with a red button.

"Listen," Jack sighed. "I don't know what Talon's been telling you, but as the leader of Blackwatch I figured you'd know better than to trust a bunch of terrorists."

"That…may be true," Gabriel admitted. "But I've checked the information myself, and it's true. Overwatch…is corrupted, Jack. We've got to…set things right."

"Maybe through inquiry, but not violence," Jack suggested.

"They would never let us reveal their secrets, Jack. So, if you won't join me…then we'll both die together."

As Gabriel pressed the button, Tracer was taken away from the room and back into the time-stream. Frustrated, she concentrated again. This time, the glass-ceilinged room which Tracer now suspected was the Swiss Headquarters was replaced by a large telescope and a glass window showing the Earth from afar.

"Yes, I made it to Horizon Lunar Colony in one piece!" Tracer cheered. "Now to find Doctor Winston and get my Chronal Accelerator fixed."

A nearby door suddenly opened, revealing Doctor Winston with a nervous look on his face.

"Lena?" Doctor Winston exclaimed. "From the future?"

"Yeah," Tracer said sheepishly. "I got my Chronal Accelerator broken again, and thought maybe you could fix it for me."

Noticing the sparks coming from Tracer's back, Doctor Winston walked around her and examined the gaping hole in the Chronal Accelerator's backside with exposed wires sticking out.

"How did this happen?" Doctor Winston asked.

"Some big guy attacked me, and yanked that whole part off," Tracer answered bluntly.

Doctor Winston adjusted his glasses and sighed. "As much as I would love to help, you've caught me at an awkward moment. There's a malfunction occurring at airlock E-35, and I need to gather the other scientists so we can properly investigate the problem. So go to my lab and wait there for the time-being."

Realizing what he was talking about, Tracer turned around and grabbed Doctor Winston's hands. "You mustn't do that!"

"Go to the airlock?" When Tracer nodded, Doctor Winston raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"

"I'll explain later, but get my younger self and that baby gorilla away from here first."

"I'm afraid that's impossible. The next Lucheng Shuttle won't be arriving for two more weeks."

"There's a small rocket, in the launch bay," Tracer muttered, trying to remember the details she had forgotten long ago. "Made from spare parts. It has enough fuel for a one-way trip to Earth."

"Do you know who made it?" Doctor Winston inquired.

"That baby gorilla, Specimen 28," Tracer clarified. "He's been building it for several months behind your back, because he knows what the other apes are going to do."

"Which is?"

Tracer hesitated to answer, but seeing Doctor Winston's concerned look made her give in. "They're going to revolt, and take over this facility in a matter of hours."

Doctor Winston's eyes widened. "So the airlock malfunction is—

"It's a trap to kill the scientists," Tracer finished.

This made Doctor Winston flinch. "Well, if that's the case…I must warn the other scientists."

"But you'll—

"I'll make sure Specimen 28 and yourself leave the Lunar Colony safely," Doctor Winston assured as he put his hands over Tracer's. "Then after that, we'll let my colleagues know what's going on and see about fixing your Chronal Accelerator. Now stay here, and don't move."

Before Tracer could stop him, Doctor Winston ran past her and went through the sliding door. Then as the time-stream closed around her, Tracer attempted to resist it but failed.

"Great!" Tracer snapped as the time-stream took her away. "There goes the one person who could've fixed the Chronal Accelerator, but at least Winston and myself will be safe. Wait, does that mean I created a paradox by warning Doctor Winston in the past about future events which in turn led him to sacrifice himself for me and Winston? Ugh, time-travel is so confusing."

As the time-stream continued, an idea came into Tracer's head. She concentrated really hard again, and found herself in Winston's dorm-room lab with the white toolbox sitting on his desk. When Tracer attempted to grab it, though, Athena's logo appeared on the computer screen.

" _It's rude to take someone else's things, Lena,_ " Athena scolded. " _Even if they do belong to a family member._ "

"Sorry, Athena, but I really need this toolbox," Tracer pleaded. "My Chronal Accelerator is badly damaged and—

" _Do you need Winston's help? I can call him over here right now._ "

"Where is he?"

" _Attending classes._ "

"Then don't bother. Just tell me how to use the tools, and I'll be out of here real soon."

" _Before I answer your questions, I want you to tell me some things about yourself._ "

"Why? You know who I am, right?"

" _Yes, but as far as I can tell you're supposed to be home in California right now. This leads me to the conclusion that you're either an impostor posing as Lena but with miraculously similar powers or some strange phenomena has occurred to where there are now two versions of Lena instead of one._ "

Tracer groaned. "All right, I get it. You don't trust me, so I'll take your questionnaire if it'll get me access to the tools quicker."

" _Very well, then please remove your device and step into the Time Capsule._ "

Automatically, the glass door to the tube opened. Reluctantly, Tracer took off the Chronal Accelerator and checked her back for burn marks. Fortunately, there weren't which allowed her to step into the Time Capsule with ease.

"All right," Tracer said as she sat cross-legged inside the Time Capsule after the door closed. "Ask away."

To be continued…


	117. Stage 117: Experimentation!

Stage 117: Experimentation!

Once Tracer had gotten done answering Athena's questions, the AI decided to let her out of the Time Capsule and use Winston's toolkit. Unfortunately, Tracer didn't know how to use any of the tools inside so Athena provided brief instructions. They were hard to follow at first but Tracer managed to get the gist of it.

" _What puzzles me is how you're able to not wear the Chronal Accelerator for extended periods of time without disappearing,_ " Athena observed while Tracer fixed the broken wires using a welding device shaped like a glue gun.

"It's one of the things Winston improves in the near future," Tracer explained. "And I guess he also allowed me to time-travel further without realizing it."

" _By how much?_ "

"About ten-seconds or so, without having to recharge."

" _Then you won't have enough energy to get back to your time, which is four years from now._ "

"I've got that figured out." Tracer briefly stopped welding and pointed to the Time Capsule and the energy tubes flowing from it. "If I can reverse the Anti-Chronal energy flowing into the Time Capsule, it'll create a makeshift portal into the time-stream."

" _I still think we should wait until Winston gets back,_ " Athena urged. " _He can confirm your theory and make sure the plan works._ "

"But I don't have much time on my hands," Tracer argued. "If I wait longer, Doomfist might kill Winston and Genji while I'm gone."

" _Ah, right,_ " Athena acknowledged. " _Although you could always go back to before you disappeared, thus preventing any of this from happening._ "

Thinking back to her previous experience, Tracer nodded. "Yeah, but that doesn't change the fact that I have to get back to the future regardless of when I show up."

After the wires were properly fixed, Tracer screwed a spare back part on and watched as the blue circle in front to lit up once more.

"All right, that should do for now," Tracer said as she put the Chronal Accelerator on.

With Athena's help, Tracer was able to reverse the Anti-Chronal energy inside the Time Capsule which caused it to wobble uncontrollably. She took a deep breath, concentrated on the future and stepped inside.

###

In the present, Winston stood over Doomfist's unconscious body after knocking him out completely. Still in Primal Rage, he raised his fist to deliver the finishing blow when a blue light flashed before him. It was Tracer, and she looked both confused and surprised.

"Winston, it's me," Tracer urged, holding her hands out. "I'm back."

While Tracer looked down at Doomfist, whom she was standing on, Winston stood dumbfounded as his fur changed from red to black and his eyes changed back to normal.

"Lena," Winston muttered, putting his glasses back on. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Sorry," Tracer apologized. "I thought if I shot Doomfist enough times, his shields would eventually falter."

"It's fortunate that you were somehow able to make it back," Winston responded breathlessly. "But if he had permanently damaged your Chronal Accelerator—

"I know what would've happened, but I managed to patch it up with your tools," Tracer explained. "In the past, of course."

"Did Athena help you?" Winston asked.

"Yeah, though she didn't trust me at first."

"Can't blame her, but I'm surprised she never told me anything back then."

"Maybe she saw no need to, having predicted that I would make it safely here."

"Perhaps," Winston guessed as he adjusted his glasses. "Now would you please step off Akande and go check on Genji for me?"

"Uh, sure thing," Tracer agreed and Blinked over to Genji whose body was still emitting green electric sparks.

###

At school, Winston was able to properly repair the Chronal Accelerator using the same toolkit from before which he brought with him everywhere for such an emergency. Meanwhile, Genji was taken to his dorm-room, which used to be Winston's lab, while Akande/Doomfist was brought into custody by the Numbani police who escorted him to the same high-security prison his predecessor resided in.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Tracer asked Winston after he gave the Chronal Accelerator back to her. "He could try breaking out since he's been there before, though not from the other side of it."

"The prison's going to do everything in its power to keep Akande locked up indefinitely," Winston assured. "So don't you worry about it."

"What about Genji? He looked to be in pretty bad shape."

"I'm sure Mercy will find a way to fix him, since she's the one who created the suit he wears."

"Wow, that's amazing! Is there nothing Mercy can't do?"

"Find Zenyatta." D. Va said, appearing in the doorway of Mercy's office. "He hasn't come back from Nepal since Christmas, and Genji's been worrying about it since."

"Why didn't Genji go with Zenyatta?" Tracer asked.

"He said something about Zenyatta needing to attend an important meeting to determine the next leader of the Shambali Monks, now that Mondatta's dead." D. Va answered.

"Oh, yeah, they would have to decide that," Tracer realized. "But that still doesn't explain why Zenyatta wouldn't return."

"Maybe something happened to him," Winston figured. "It would explain his absence, and the Shambali Monks don't usually take this long to decide a new leader."

"If that's the case, we should go look for him," Tracer suggested.

"I'll talk to Soldier: 76 about it, and we'll see," Winston replied.

###

In Genji's dorm, Mercy was writing down numbers that appeared on the screen above Genji who was strapped to a metal table with wires sticking out of him.

" _Tell me, Doctor Ziegler,_ " Genji muttered weakly. " _How bad is the damage?_ "

Mercy sighed. "It's…not looking good. I may have to construct a new suit entirely, which will take several weeks at least, or—no, I can't do that."

" _What is it? If it'll be easier than constructing a new suit, I'll take that option._ "

"It has to do with this side-project I've been doing," Mercy admitted reluctantly. "I'm trying to bring back those who were killed by Reaper, that I couldn't revive with my Caduceus Staff, and so far my experiments on the corpses have produced nothing."

" _Perhaps you need a live test-subject instead of a dead one._ "

"But you're barely alive as is," Mercy objected. "If it weren't for this suit, you would be dead."

" _I'm willing to put my life on the line if it'll help others not meet the same fate as those who've died by Reaper's hand already,_ " Genji said as he tried to sit up but failed to. " _You've done so much for me, Doctor Ziegler, now let me do something for you._ "

"Oh, Genji," Mercy smiled as tears fell down her face. "You're the most selfless person I've met, but this is my battle and not yours."

" _It is now, Angela,_ " Genji reminded Mercy, taking her hand. " _I'm willing to participate in your experiment…to save people's lives, and possibly mine if it's successful._ "

As she wiped the tears from her eyes, Mercy chuckled. "This is the first time you've called me by my first name, Genji."

" _I've been wanting to for a long time, because I—_

Before Genji could finish, Tracer appeared in the doorway.

"Hey!" Tracer waved. "Just wanted to say goodbye before heading back to Watchpoint: Gibraltar. Hope you get better, Genji, and maybe you'd like to tell me about Blackwatch sometime. Later!"

While Tracer Blinked away, Mercy glanced at Genji who looked guilty.

" _I just told her I worked for Blackwatch, and nothing else,_ " Genji confessed.

"Even so, that's made her curious now," Mercy said sternly.

" _Please don't tell McCree about this,_ " Genji begged. " _He has a lot of faith in me, and I don't want to disappoint him._ "

"All right, I won't say anything if you promise to not speak about it further to Tracer."

" _Yes, Doctor—I mean, Angela._ "

Mercy smiled and put her notebook away. "You should get some rest now."

" _That…would be good._ " The lights on Genji's helmet turned off, while the rest of his body glowed in the darkness.

"Goodnight," Mercy whispered as she kissed him on the forehead before leaving.

"Do you plan on telling him the truth about Gabe?" Ana said to Mercy who stood outside the dorm with her Biotic Rifle nearby.

"If he's going to be a part of my side-project, then yes," Mercy answered.

"Just make sure he keeps that knowledge to himself."

"Don't worry, Ana, I will."

"Good."

Then as Ana walked away, Mercy followed behind.

To be continued…


	118. Stage 118: Jailbreaks and Aching Hearts!

Stage 118: Jailbreaks and Aching Hearts!

Several months later, Doomfist III broke out of the high-security prison he had been placed in and stole the original Doomfist Gauntlet from its display at the Numbani Heritage Museum after leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. Tracer was in London spending summer vacation with Emily when this happened, causing her to abruptly call Soldier: 76 upon hearing the news.

"Hey, Jack," Tracer said, trying to contain her anxiety. "Um, I heard about Doomfist's attack. Was anyone hurt?"

" _Mostly Numbani civilians, but no one at the school,_ " Soldier: 76 claimed.

"Did you try to stop him from getting the Gauntlet?"

" _Petras told us to not interfere as the Mayor wanted to demonstrate the capabilities of the new OR15 defense units that had been constructed._ "

"And what are those?"

" _They're improved versions of the OR14 quadrupedal robots that used to defend Numbani before the Omnic Crisis,_ " Soldier: 76 explained. " _Then the God Program Ogbunabali* made them go rogue which led the original Doomfist to take up the fight against them thus making him a Hero._ "

"Before Numbani became Pro-Omnic," Tracer corrected. "So what made Petras think it was a good idea to not let Overwatch stop Akande from taking the Doomfist Gauntlet?"

" _He didn't want another Heritage Museum incident on his hands, since it made Overwatch look bad._ "

"This isn't any better, though! Now we look like a bunch of incompetent morons in the eyes of the public!"

" _You don't think I'm aware of that?_ " Soldier: 76 snapped.

Surprised, Tracer said nothing as Emily emerged from her bedroom in her pajamas which consisted of a pink silk nightgown.

"Is everything all right, luv?" Emily asked with a concerned look on her face. "I heard yelling."

"I'm fine, Em," Tracer lied, facing away from Emily as she spoke. "Just go back to sleep. I'll be with you in a moment."

"Okay," replied Emily as she reluctantly closed the door.

" _Sorry,_ " Soldier: 76 apologized. " _It's just—_

"Petras," Tracer stated. "I know."

" _Yeah._ "

"Is there some way you can talk to Adawe about him?"

" _Not at the moment,_ " replied Soldier: 76. " _The UN's apparently restricting her ability to interfere in Overwatch-related activities as we are 'no longer her priority.'_ "

"That sucks."

" _No kidding._ "

The two were silent for a moment before Tracer said, "So, I'm surprised the Mayor of Numbani would even consider reviving the OR defense units given their history and the current situation with Omnics."

" _It caught me off-guard as well,_ " Soldier: 76 admitted." _But supposedly, these new OR15 units are less corruptible than the previous models and a lot smarter._ "

"Neat! Maybe I'll get to see one when I get back to Numbani."

" _I'm not sure you will, since Akande destroyed most of them when he entered the city._ "

"I see." A thought then occurred to Tracer and she asked, "Do you think Akande will go after Winston, now that he has the original Doomfist Gauntlet as well as the one made by his predecessor?"

" _It is possible, but hard to say for certain._ "

"Did he get help from Talon?"

" _We're not sure, but there was one visitor who resembled Widowmaker but with paler skin and she wore dark shades._ "

"That's odd," Tracer remarked. "Must've found some way to not look like a blueberry."

" _So it would seem._ "

"Is there a reason her skin was that color?"

" _We don't know for certain, but Mercy thinks it's an unintentional side-effect of Widowmaker's 'reconditioning' by Talon._ "

"Then she wasn't…always bad?"

" _No, her only crime was eloping with her husband Gérard at the age of sixteen._ "

"Wow, that young. What's the legal age of consent in France?"

" _Fifteen._ "

"Oh, my, the French obviously have different ideas when it comes to marriage."

" _Indeed._ "

"Now who's Gérard, apart from being Widowmaker's husband?"

" _He was one of our agents at the time, who met an unfortunate death before you started attending Overwatch High._ "

"How did he die?"

" _From poison in his lungs._ "

"When did this happen?"

" _Two weeks after he rescued Widowmaker from Talon after they had kidnapped her._ "

"Was Widowmaker the one who—

" _Yes, but we didn't figure this out until after she had escaped the Detention Facility during our investigation of the assassination attempt on your life._ "

"The she could've done the same thing to me as she did to…her husband," Tracer shivered. "Now I don't know whether to feel sorry for Widowmaker or not, since I still can't forgive her for killing Mondatta."

" _Talon's the one to blame, not Widowmaker._ "

"But she pulled the trigger."

###

As the Fall Semester started, it occurred to Tracer that she was a Senior now.

"I'm surprised the thought didn't cross my mind during Mei and Pharah's graduation," Tracer said to D. Va during lunch one day.

"You were probably distracted by other things, including your girlfriend," D. Va guessed.

"Shut up," Tracer blushed.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Then why haven't you told Jack about your relationship with Lúcio yet?"

"That's…different," D. Va said as she twirled the noodles in her Ramyeon dish. "Lúcio is technically an outlaw, even though he's trying to expose Vishkar's wrongdoings."

"Although the recent LumériCo email leaks have certainly made Vishkar look bad."

"But only because of their dealings with LumériCo's CEO, who's apparently super corrupt, and not in terms of what they did in Rio de Janeiro."

"Right, I almost forgot."

"And I'm not sure how long I can keep waiting for Lúcio."

"Just be patient with him," Tracer encouraged.

"I've been doing that since he confessed his love to me."

"Then maybe he's not the right guy for you."

"I hope that's not the case, but maybe I'll do some thinking for the next few weeks."

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan."

"Any idea on how Genji is doing?"

"Not really," Tracer answered. "Mercy won't let me see him."

"For what reason?"

"She said something about 'more time needed.'"

"How can that be? She's healed multiple patients at a relatively quick pace."

"Maybe Genji's damage was greater than she previously thought."

"Or there's something else going on."

"Like what?"

"You tell me."

To be continued…

*Ogbunabali is the deity of death for the Igbo people who are native to southeastern Nigeria


	119. Stage 119: Home at Last!

Stage 119: Home at Last!

Later that day, Tracer entered Mercy's office to see how Genji was doing when she beheld a strange sight. On one of the beds lay a familiar looking Omnic, who looked worn out and partially rusted.

"Zenyatta!" Tracer realized, approaching the bed swiftly.

" _Tracer,_ " Zenyatta muttered, turning to face her.

"Where've you been?"

" _It's a long story, but tell me…is Genji all right?_ "

Tracer flinched. "Didn't Mercy tell you?"

" _No…after finding me in an alley near the school, Mercy placed me on this bed and left to get Torbjörn who's the only one that can repair Omnics here._ "

"Huh, I wonder why he never mentioned that in any of his classes."

" _Probably because it wasn't important._ "

"But that time when Sombra afflicted you with the virus—

" _He wouldn't have been able to do anything to help me._ "

"Still, I'm surprised Torbjörn has the skills to repair Omnics given how much he hates them."

" _Maybe, there is a reason…_ "

"Perhaps."

" _Now where's my student? I would very much like to see him._ "

Taking a deep breath, Tracer reluctantly told Zenyatta about the battle with Doomfist III and Genji's subsequent injuries.

" _I should've been there,_ " Zenyatta said with a hint of sadness in his voice. " _If the Shambali Monks hadn't—_

"You would've died immediately," Tracer claimed. "Akande saw us as a nuisance, but your kind were hated by his predecessors and he wants to surpass their legacies as much as possible."

" _Even so, Genji was hurt badly and I couldn't save him._ "

After some hesitation, Tracer asked, "So what happened in Nepal? Did the Shambali Monks choose a new leader?"

" _They did, and he asked me to terminate my affiliation with Overwatch._ "

"Why?"

" _Because he is convinced Overwatch's incompetence was part of the reason for Mondatta's death, and therefore they are no longer to be trusted._ "

"And you agreed to this?"

" _Of course not, but the monks saw this as an act of betrayal on my part and had me locked away along with the other humans who lived there that they decided to imprison._ "

"What? The Shambali Monks have never imprisoned anyone, least of all humans!"

" _Not until now, as this new leader is determined to get revenge on the humans for killing Mondatta with help from an extreme group of Omnics called Null Sector who want to start a Second Omnic Crisis for the sake of purging humanity._ "

"That's ludicrous! How can the Shambali Monks do something like this when it goes against every philosophy that Mondatta has preached?"

" _They're afraid, Tracer, and hurt by the loss of such a great leader as Mondatta. So they don't know where to go and who to trust._ "

"But they should certainly have the sense of not trusting a bunch of radical Omnics who have a thing for the color purple and seem to cause trouble wherever they go. Heck, it wouldn't surprise me if somehow Null Sector _was_ responsible for Mondatta's assassination."

" _That's…actually not too far-fetched of an idea,_ " Zenyatta concurred. " _With Mondatta out of the picture, Null Sector could influence hundreds of Omnics across the world to attack humans without any opposition from their own kind and so Talon simply gave them what they wanted._ "

"By sending their best assassin to do the job in their stead," Tracer concluded. "That's what Widowmaker meant when she told me, 'All it takes is a spark to ignite the flame.'"

" _Did she say this before or after Mondatta was killed?_ "

"After."

" _Yes, that would make sense._ "

While Zenyatta shifted uncomfortably in the bed, Tracer said, "Well, since you're here now, I take it you escaped somehow."

" _After months of studying the monks' movements, the trapped humans and I staged a jailbreak which led to our escape. Fortunately, I had stolen my Orbs back after they were taken from my person which allowed me to keep the humans' bodies from freezing in the cold mountain air until we reached Kathmandu. From there, I traveled across several countries through a network of friendly Omnics and Pro-Omnic persons who went underground after Mondatta died._ "

"Guess I can't exactly blame them, given all this Null Sector stuff."

" _Indeed._ "

Just then, the door suddenly opened revealing a stressed-out Mercy and an irritated Torbjörn.

"Tracer!" Mercy exclaimed. "How long have you been waiting here?"

"Um, not too long," Tracer replied.

"Move aside," Torbjörn ordered. "I don't want to stay up too late fixing this tin can of a patient."

Angered by this, Tracer Blinked forward and gripped Torbjörn's beard. "Don't _ever_ call my friend that!"

"Let him go, Tracer," Mercy said sternly. "He didn't mean to insult Zenyatta."

"Really? He's been giving Zenyatta the cold shoulder since Freshman Year," Tracer argued.

"Only because we never had an Omnic at this school before," Torbjörn explained, flinching from Tracer's grip. "So I didn't know whether to trust him or not."

"And now?"

"Look, can't this wait till later?" Torbjörn insisted. "I need to examine the Omnic in order to determine how bad the damage is."

Reluctantly, Tracer released Torbjörn's beard from her grasp and moved over as he walked past and got on a stool to get a better look at Zenyatta.

"Perhaps it would be best to leave him alone for now," Mercy suggested as she ushered Tracer out of the Nurse's office. "I'll let you know if anything comes up."

###

After dinner, Tracer Blinked back to the Nurse's office and found Torbjörn resting on a chair while Mercy was hovering over Zenyatta who was plugged into a nearby wall with his lights off.

"How is he doing?" Tracer asked as she cautiously entered the room.

"Much better," Mercy replied quietly. "And I'm sorry for kicking you out earlier. It's just that Torbjörn prefers to work alone, so he's not distracted by other things."

"Including me?"

Mercy sighed. "I know what he said was upsetting, but he's more quick to distrust Omnics than most people since the Omnic Crisis took a heavy toll on him."

"In what way?"

As Mercy walked over to her desk, she glanced at Torbjörn, who was still asleep, and said, "A long time ago, Torbjörn worked as an engineer for a company that built machines such as the Bastion units and Titan mechs."

"I've heard about the Titans," Tracer responded. "Those things made the Svyatogors look like pip-squeaks by comparison."

"Yes, so when the Omnic Crisis happened they went out of control and Torbjörn felt guilty for creating them."

"Even though it wasn't his fault that the God Programs made them go rogue?"

"It's no different from creating a bomb; even if you don't use it, that doesn't make the thing any less dangerous. So to make amends for what he did, Torbjörn joined Overwatch and helped destroy his creations."

"Gosh, that must've been tough given that he treats everything he creates like his baby."

"Exactly, and I don't think he's entirely recovered from it mentally."

"Hence why he still distrusts Omnics to this day."

"Though Zenyatta is the one exception which baffles him."

"Is that what led him to repair Zenyatta in the first place?"

"Partially, and the things Zenyatta spoke of including his rescue of the trapped humans made Torbjörn flinch in disbelief." From a drawer Mercy pulled out a blanket and draped it over Torbjörn's slump form. "But maybe this story will prove to him that not all intelligent machines are bad, even when they may have committed crimes in the past."

"I hope so."

To be continued…


	120. Stage 120: New Student!

Stage 120: New Student!

After Zenyatta had relayed his story to Soldier: 76, news of it broke out from accounts made by the people who were rescued. This in turn forced the UN to send an Overwatch strike-team consisting of Ana, Zarya, and Mei to flush out the Shambali Monks. Unfortunately, they had fled the temple and left several Null Sector Omnics in their place.

" _So the Shambali Monks really are collaborating with Null Sector,_ " Soldier: 76 remarked after Ana had given him a status report.

" _Yes,_ " Ana replied on the CommLink. " _We defeated most of them, but they self-destructed before we could question them on where the Shambali Monks had gone._ "

" _Was the self-destruction caused remotely?_ "

" _No, but through a protocol installed in the Omnics' programming that would allow them to detonate themselves under stressful circumstances._ "

" _That's awful,_ " Soldier: 76 frowned. " _I know they're robots, but…_ "

" _One should not take one's own life, whether machine or human,_ " Ana responded.

" _I'll see if Petras might allow us to search the Himalayas for any traces of the Shambali Monks and get back to you._ "

" _Sounds good._ "

###

A month had passed, and while Ana and Zarya had been recalled to their original bases of operation Mei searched the Himalayas from the ground while Winston kept an eye on things via the Recall satellite. As for Tracer, she was too busy worrying about Genji and Zenyatta when something caught her attention. On the TV screen there was a large quadrupedal robot with a gold mask-like face and two green horns curled along the sides of its head. It stood holding the front end of a car in its massive hand while an elderly woman crossed the street in front. There was a little girl yelling at it while the news tagline read 'Mysterious OR15 Robot Saves Old Woman From Being Run Over'.

"Are you kidding?" D. Va reacted. "I was just down there not too long ago!"

"I'm not sure if calling MEKA would've helped the situation," Tracer argued as D. Va sat down with a bag containing donuts and hot beverages from Kọfị Aromo, a local coffee shop in downtown Numbani.

"Still, I could've saved that old woman before the robot did," D. Va claimed.

As the two sipped on coffee and tea while sharing donuts, D. Va and Tracer learned a great deal about the robot-in-question. Apparently, it had only been active for a month and was calling itself Orisa. The little girl, Efi Oladele, explained that she had repaired a broken OR15 unit after Doomfist III attacked Numbani and decided to give it a personality module that would develop overtime like a human brain.

"This girl is really smart," Tracer said as she finished her tea. "And she's only eleven years old."

"Yeah, that's crazy," D. Va murmured while munching on the last donut. "Though since the OR15 program was discontinued, that would make Efi's actions illegal."

"How so?"

"Activating a government-owned robot without permission and giving it a personality despite the UN prohibiting such things from being manufactured?" D. Va swallowed the donut and downed the remaining coffee. "See what's wrong with this picture?"

"But I'm sure Efi had a good reason for creating Orisa, given what happened with Doomfist."

"It would seem that way, but I don't know if the authorities are going to agree with this."

"I hope she doesn't get in trouble for it."

"Guess we'll see."

###

A few days later, an announcement was made requiring all the students to come to the assembly hall. So everyone did and sat in the seats that were assigned to their particular Class. Then the lights dimmed except for the floating Overwatch logo while Soldier: 76 appeared onstage.

" _Good afternoon,_ " Soldier: 76 began. " _Now, the reason I called you out here was to introduce a new student who will be attending our school starting next week. Please welcome Miss Efi Oladele, who is eleven years old and the winner of the Adawe Foundation's Genius Grant._ "

While the students gave a round of applause, the little girl that Tracer saw on the TV appeared in the flesh. She was much smaller than Tracer had thought, wearing a white top and green sarong with a tool belt wrapped around her waist. Her dark face was marked by white dots around the eyes, and wore brown leather headphones accentuated by big-hooped earrings and a green-and-gold tiara. Small leather boots and gloves covered her hands and feet as she took the microphone from Soldier: 76's hands.

"Ah, hello," Efi said with a slight accent. "I would like to state that I am not the new student who will be attending this school, but my friend is. Give it up for Orisa!"

Efi's clapping was followed by a slight rumbling sound as the stage shook under the weight of the towering robot that came forward. Its yellow eyes glanced down at Efi, who smiled up at it, before looking at the crowd of confused students.

" _My name is Orisa, and I am here to learn the ways of being a true Hero,_ " the robot stated in a female voice that had a similar accent to Efi's. " _It is a great honor to stand before you, who will no doubt be my peers and aid me on this journey of mine to becoming the protector Numbani needs in these dark times that are ahead of us._ "

The crowd was awestruck before whispering among themselves.

" _Well, in any case, let us have Athena determine the Class that suits you best,_ " Soldier: 76 interceded as the floating Overwatch logo was replaced by Athena's.

After scanning Orisa's form, Athena concluded, " _Based on your performance during the Entrance Exam, which you took yesterday at our own facility, I have determined that the best Class suited for you is…Tank._ "

" _Thank you,_ " Orisa nodded. " _I am sure you chose wisely, Athena._ "

As Orisa made her way down from the stage, the wooden stairs creaked until they broke underneath Orisa's four robotic legs. The students who were sitting beneath a flag showing a triangle with a diamond-shaped hole, which included D. Va, moved out of the way as Orisa demolished the seats closest to her before settling into a kneeling position.

Onstage, Efi sighed in frustration while Soldier: 76 said, " _So there you have it. Orisa will be attending classes tomorrow along with Efi. Please treat them with the same respect you give to others, whether they're Omnic or human, and have a great evening._ "

Then the students tepidly left the assembly hall while Efi jumped down from the stage to talk to Orisa. Tracer was tempted to stay, but seeing D. Va storm out in a huff made her concerned enough to follow.

To be continued…


	121. Stage 121: Jealousy and a Cure!

Stage 121: Jealousy and a Cure!

"This is getting out of hand, Jack!" Torbjörn complained to Soldier: 76 in his office. "Every day it keeps breaking chairs, crashing through walls, and Mercy's up to her neck in students who've been indirectly hurt by that thing."

" _This 'thing' you're talking about is Orisa, right?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

Torbjörn gave him a dubious look. "What else do you think I'm referring to?"

" _Have you started making adjustments to the hallways and doors to accompany Orisa's size?_ "

"Yes, but that'll take time. I've sent requests to Vishkar, but they haven't responded."

" _Something tells that they're…preoccupied at the moment._ "

"With finding Lúcio?"

Soldier: 76 nodded. " _Also we analyzed the equipment Symmetra was using during her 'business trip' in Dorado and discovered it came from Oasis._ "

"The technologically advanced city in Southern Iraq?"

" _There's a possibility that Vishkar is doing secret business deals with the Ministries to not only develop their tech further but also receive help from them._ "

"How could a bunch of scientists aid Vishkar?"

" _Think about it. With the most brilliant minds on their side, Vishkar could rectify past mistakes like Rio de Janeiro and LumériCo while getting one step ahead of the thief they want to capture so badly._ "

"Then we need to find Lúcio before they do."

" _Exactly,_ " Soldier: 76 agreed. " _Now I took the liberty of 'borrowing' Symmetra's data on Lúcio's whereabouts, though I'm sure Vishkar is already several steps ahead of us. So we'll have to figure out where Lúcio is going to be next before Symmetra or any of Vishkar's other agents get to him first._ "

"Sounds like a plan, but what should I do about the Orisa problem?"

" _Just do what you can with the materials that are available, and I'll request Vishkar's architects to fix them later._ "

"Not sure why we're still trusting these shifty-eyed snakes to begin with," Torbjörn muttered out loud as he turned away.

" _Because the school would've been a lot more expensive to pay for if they hadn't helped us,_ " Soldier: 76 responded as Torbjörn shut the door behind him.

###

"So what's on your mind, Hana?" Tracer asked D. Va as they were chilling out in their dorm-room playing _Paladins_ in preparation for the tournament that their Video Gamers Club was going to enter in a few weeks. "You've barely spoken to me since school started."

D. Va said nothing and instead concentrated on the enemies that were attacking their Payload. Tracer did the same in turn, but they lost the round making D. Va sigh.

"It's Efi," D. Va replied.

"Are you jealous that she's now the youngest student at Overwatch High?" Tracer guessed.

"Partially, but I'm more envious of what she's done," D. Va explained. "Winning a Genius Grant, repairing a robot from scratch and giving it the semblance of a human personality. How can I compete against someone like that?"

"You don't have to," Tracer reminded her. "Because you've got your own special skills that no one else has."

"Like gaming?"

"Yeah, that's something to be proud of."

"But how will it save the world?"

"Well, um…"

"We're going to be graduating soon," D. Va said anxiously. "And I don't know if I'm ready."

"To graduate?"

D. Va shook her head. "To fight the colossal Omnic that attacks my country every four years."

Tracer's eyes widened in response. "Why have you never told me this before?"

"Because no one outside the Korean Military or Overwatch is supposed to know this."

"Then why—

"Because it's bothering me on top of the upcoming gaming tournament, Midterms, and whether I should still stay with Lúcio or not. Also I'm not sure if I should quit playing video games because of this."

"Have you talked to Mercy about some of these things?"

"Yes, and she thinks I need to get my priorities straight."

"Seems logical to me."

"Says the girl who procrastinates till the last minute and resorts to time-travel to turn assignments in on time."

"It's how I operate."

"Most people would call that cheating."

"Look, if you're going to judge me then I might as well get some actual work done."

"Fine, it'll be your fault if we lose the tournament."

Ignoring D. Va, Tracer went back to her room and stared at the huge pile of books that represented her homework.

###

Meanwhile, Mercy was in a laboratory located beneath the school's science building which was distinguished by an ostrich statue. She was typing data onto a nearby computer while Genji slept in the other room.

"It seems stable," Mercy muttered. "This could be the cure to—

A black shadow came up behind and grabbed Mercy by the throat.

" ** _Don't move, Angela,_** " Reaper ordered as his face became visible. " ** _Or I'll feast on your soul._** "

"Gabriel," Mercy realized. "What are you—

" ** _I told you never to call me that!_** " Reaper snapped. " ** _Where is the file on Project Lazarus?_** "

"No idea what you're talking about."

" ** _Liar!_** " Reaper's grip on Mercy's neck tightened. " ** _Sombra's been monitoring the school's data files for weeks until she came across an encrypted one under your name. But when trying to hack into it, Sombra was blocked by Athena. Now I'm here to get a physical copy of the file for her to decrypt._** "

While holding Mercy with one hand, Reaper reached into a hidden picket and pulled out a black flash-drive with a red skull on it.

"If you take that file…" Mercy began, struggling to breathe. "You'll lose the only means of curing your condition."

This made Reaper stop and glare at Mercy. " ** _Explain._** "

"It's very simple." Mercy coughed a little and stated, "The super-powered nano-machines that are keeping you alive must feed off the life-force of living beings to keep themselves running."

" ** _I know all this,_** " Reaper growled. " ** _Get to the point._** "

"Well, it turns out the ones you've killed contained traces of your dead cells which must've been expelled from your body through the nano-machines during the life-force extraction process. So all I have to do is adjust my Caduceus Staff to remove your cells from the victims' bodies in order to restore their life-force and bring them back to life."

Reaper's expression didn't change. " ** _You really think that's going to work?_** "

"I've tested these cells on a willing test-subject," Mercy admitted. "And so far, he has not died."

" ** _Really? I'd like to meet the guy, but I'm kind of in a hurry._** "

While holding Mercy away at arm's length from the computer, Reaper plugged the flash-drive in. The screen went black as a red line appeared on the left side and started crawling over to the right. Just then, the door to the other room burst open causing Reaper to turn around and pull out a Hellfire Shotgun.

To be continued…


	122. Stage 122: Change and Bigotry!

Stage 122: Change and Bigotry!

" ** _Well, well, if it isn't the Cyborg,_** " Reaper reacted upon seeing Genji appear in the doorway.

This time, however, Genji looked very different. Instead of his usual green-and-silver cybernetic suit, now wore a black and red one with the left shoulder exposed showing deathly pale skin. A metallic mask covered Genji's forehead and mouth revealing bright red eyes and spiky black hair. There were tubes coming out from the back of his head, which seemed to be leaking red liquid while the ones in his left forearm were fine.

Despite his outward weariness, Genji pulled out a red-and-black version of his Katana and held it in front of him. " _Let…her…go…_ "

" ** _Not a chance,_** " Reaper said as he pulled Mercy closer to him and held the Shotgun to her head. " ** _Take one more step, and I'll kill your precious Doctor._** "

"You have to stop him, Genji!" Mercy cried. "He's trying to prevent me from inventing the cure by stealing my research."

Glancing over Mercy's shoulder, Genji noticed the black screen and a crawling line. Clenching his metallic right hand, three Shuriken appeared between his fingers.

" ** _Give it your best shot,_** " Reaper taunted. " ** _You'll be dead before you even get the chance to throw those._** "

"He's bluffing!" Mercy warned. "Aim for the computer, but not Reaper!"

" ** _Shut up!_** " Reaper yelled and prepared to fire the Shotgun.

Just as he was about to pull the trigger, a series of shots came from somewhere else causing Reaper to vanish. While Mercy ducked, Genji blocked one bullet which ricocheted off his Katana and into the computer screen causing it to fizzle out from the impact.

" _Never thought you'd see me again, Reyes?_ " Soldier: 76 stated as he entered the laboratory with his Tactical Visor equipped. " _Well, I've got you in my sights!_ "

Then Soldier: 76 started firing missiles at a cloud of black mist hovering near the air vent. The subsequent explosions caused Reaper to suddenly assume physical form and drop down onto the floor.

" _Ana thought the explosions might damage you in mist-form since the tiny robots inside your body are causing that to happen,_ " Soldier: 76 said walking toward Reaper with the Heavy Pulse Rifle raised. " _Seems she was right._ "

" ** _So Angela told you the truth,_** " Reaper realized as he pulled out two new Shotguns and aimed them at Soldier: 76. " ** _How does it feel to know that the guy you thought was dead is now a walking breathing corpse with a deadly touch?_** "

" _This isn't like you, Gabe,_ " Soldier: 76 remarked. " _Killing innocents, helping hackers and assassins alike…it goes against everything we've worked for._ "

" ** _People change, Jack,_** " Reaper claimed. " ** _You've changed. You're a lot more bitter and cold-hearted than I remember._** "

" _That's because I realized my pride got the better of me._ "

" ** _Yet you're still answering to those who run Overwatch, including that worm Petras._** "

" _His methods may be questionable, but he ultimately wants to do the right thing._ "

Reaper laughed menacingly. " ** _He's going to destroy your organization from the inside out. Remember that._** "

As Reaper turned into black mist, Soldier: 76 attempted to reload his missiles. But by the time he did, Reaper was gone.

" _Dammit,_ " Soldier: 76 cursed. " _I almost had him._ "

"Even if you did, he wouldn't have said anything about Talon or their ultimate goals."

Soldier: 76 turned and saw Mercy helping Genji who was slumped over.

" _Is he going to be all right?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

"He's fine," Mercy assured Soldier: 76. "Just needs to be plugged back in."

While Soldier: 76 waited, Mercy took Genji back into the other room where she placed him back on a metal table and replaced the tubes that came from his head with new ones which connected to a vat of red liquid behind him. Once this was done, Genji closed his eyes as the red circle on the right side of his chest lit up.

" _How's the cure coming along?_ " Soldier: 76 said once Mercy had closed the other room.

"Obviously well enough to get Talon's attention," Mercy replied. "Though I'll have to reenter the data I've been collecting once this computer gets fixed."

" _Sorry about that,_ " Soldier: 76 apologized. " _I saw the flash-drive and got worried._ "

"As you had every right to be," Mercy concurred. "Otherwise, Reaper would've gotten away with the file and I would've been forced to terminate the project."

" _Including Genji?_ "

Mercy hesitated to answer.

" _Never mind. Forget I asked._ "

###

The next morning, school started for the third week in a row and everything seemed perfectly normal. Except between classes, Tracer started noticing posters on the wall showing an Omnic with a No Entry Sign over it saying, 'No Omnics in Our School!' above. Tearing down one such poster, Tracer immediately Blinked to Soldier: 76's office and showed it to him.

" _Where did you find this?_ " Soldier: 76 demanded.

"They're all over the school," Tracer answered irritably. "And I want to know _who_ is putting them up."

" _That's a tough question to answer. Our security's been compromised by Petras who thinks we're not giving the students enough 'privacy' and so we're not able to see as much as before._ "

Tracer groaned. "That weasel finds new ways of pissing me off."

" _He's doing it for your guys' sake, not ours._ "

"Still, if your previous methods were fine then why should they be fixed?"

" _I would agree, but it's out of my hands._ "

"So you're not going to do anything about these posters?"

" _I'll see about removing them and punishing those responsible, but I can't guarantee it'll happen quickly with all the other things I've got going on._ "

"It's okay, Jack, I understand."

Before Soldier: 76 could object, Tracer Blinked out of the room.

###

Later, Tracer noticed Efi riding on Orisa's back as they started to walk away from the school while the sun was going down.

"Hey!" Tracer waved, getting Efi's attention. "Where are you going?"

" _We are going back to the workshop, which is my home,_ " Orisa explained.

"Oh, I thought you lived in the dorms," Tracer said with a hint of surprise in her voice.

"None of the rooms were big enough to fit Orisa." Efi frowned and then smiled. "But the workshop's not too far from here, so I saw no reason to bother."

"But if you want I could—

"No, no, no," Efi insisted. "It's not a big deal, really."

"Okay." Tracer was about to turn back but then said, "Mind if I come with you?"

"To the workshop?" Efi blushed. "I don't usually have visitors there, and it is kind of messy."

"I don't mind."

" _Of course, there is the concern of getting back in time before Lights Out, which I believe is 10 PM_ ," Orisa calculated." _A_ _nd being able to have an evening meal and doing homework before that._ "

Tracer waved her hand dismissively. "Not to worry on those fronts. I've got a special gift that allows me to deal with such matters promptly."

Orisa looked at Efi and asked, " _What kind of gift?_ "

"Maybe I'll tell you at the workshop," Tracer teased.

To be continued…


	123. Stage 123: Recruitment!

Stage 123: Recruitment!

"So this device you wear allows one to time-travel between the past and future at will?" Efi exclaimed once Tracer had finished explaining the Chronal Accelerator to her at the workshop. "That's amazing! I'm sure Doctor Winston must be very proud of his invention."

Tracer flinched. "Well, unfortunately, he died."

"Where?"

"On the Horizon Lunar Colony," Tracer replied.

" _During the genetically enhanced ape revolt,_ " Orisa chimed in as she scanned the pages of a textbook with laser lights that shot out of her eyes.

"Yeah, that's what happened," acknowledged Tracer.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Efi apologized. "I should have known."

"But you didn't, so it's okay," Tracer insisted.

"Still, you've suffered a great many loses: first your mother, then your father, and the scientist who prevented you from disappearing permanently."

"Yet I'm still here, using my gift to help others."

"By contrast, I've had a pretty good life so far," Efi sighed. "When I was younger, my parents gave me a robot assembly kit. It invigorated me so much that I kept ordering more kits and making my own adjustments to the robots I built. Then the Genius Grant came, along with an interview on Atlas News, and now Orisa. She's by far the best thing that's happened in my life."

" _You're very welcome, Efi,_ " Orisa said as her eyes changed to two arches in a smile-like gesture.

Efi smiled back and turned to Tracer. "It's getting late."

"You're right," Tracer noted as she looked down at her watch which also showed how much power she had left in her Chronal Accelerator. "Better start heading back."

"It was nice talking with you, though," Efi complimented as she showed Tracer out.

"Sure thing, luv," Tracer agreed. "We should do this more often."

"Agreed." As Tracer Blinked away, Efi glanced over her shoulder at Orisa. "What do you think of her?"

" _I think she's…a little absent-minded, but very honest,_ " Orisa proclaimed.

"That's what I was thinking too," Efi nodded. "Now finish your homework and get to bed at a reasonable hour."

" _Okay._ "

###

The following day, Tracer found more anti-Omnic posters up on the walls and tore them down on her way to class.

"That's not going to stop whoever's doing it," D. Va reminded her.

"Well, something's got to be done," Tracer responded irritably. "Neither Orisa nor Zenyatta deserve to be treated like this."

"Have they met?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Maybe you should get them together sometime."

"Yeah, Zenyatta's been in a funk after Torbjörn repaired him. I think he misses Genji and maybe Orisa can help him focus on something else."

"Let's hope you're right."

As the warning bell rang, Tracer and D. Va went their separate ways while McCree watched the students closely. Once the hall was completely empty, he sauntered off to Soldier: 76's office and entered.

"We've found him, Boss," McCree announced.

This caused Soldier: 76 to glance up from his holographic computer. " _Where?_ "

"Estádio das Rãs."

" _Back in his hometown._ "

In response, McCree nodded.

" _We should send undercover agents to retrieve him before Vishkar makes their move._ "

"Right, but we're kind of…short-staffed at the moment."

" _Then let's make this a Secret Mission._ "

"Will I be supervising?"

" _Of course, since I'm still under Petras' thumb._ "

"Does he suspect anything?"

" _Not yet, but he's suspicious of me._ "

"Then he'll probably start digging sometime soon."

" _It's a strong possibility, but I'll make sure he doesn't find out about—_

"Hush!" McCree put a finger in front of his mouth. "Might be listening."

" _You're probably right._ " Soldier: 76 sighed. " _I'll start recruiting people and let you sort them._ "

"Sure thing, Boss," McCree said.

As McCree walked away, Soldier: 76's brow furrowed. " _You don't have to call me 'Boss' for_ his _sake, you know._ "

McCree stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "He may be a monster now, but I'm still gonna honor his memory. After all, if it wasn't for him…I'd be rotting in a jail-cell."

After briefly touching his robotic arm, McCree left Soldier: 76's office as quickly as he came in.

###

"Lúcioball?" Tracer exclaimed. "What on Earth is that?"

"It's a new sport that got started in Rio de Janeiro a year ago," D. Va explained. "And you won't believe who the star player is."

On her phone, D. Va brought up a picture and showed it to Tracer.

"That's Lúcio!" Tracer realized, glancing at the young mocha-skinned boy with short dreadlocks pulled back by a white headband wearing a yellow sports top and blue shorts as well as yellow padded roller blades.

"He goes by the name Seleção now," D. Va groaned. "He's not even trying to hide his identity anymore. Symmetra will be after him in a heartbeat."

"Not if you ladies have anything to say about it."

Surprised, the girls glanced behind and saw McCree towering over them.

"McCree," Tracer smiled, trying to sound polite. "Am I in trouble again?"

"Nah," McCree shook his head. "I'm here to let y'all know about a Secret Mission that's coming up in a couple weeks."

D. Va put down her phone. "What does it involve?"

"Going undercover as players for the upcoming international Lúcioball tournament," McCree stated. "I'll be supervising your activities to make sure nothing goes wrong, along with another agent who goes by the Call Sign Champion."

"I'm not sure if we can do it," D. Va objected. "Tracer and I have a video gaming tournament to practice for our club and—

"Which d'you think is more important?" McCree interrupted. "You're Seniors now, so start acting like 'em."

"But aren't these Secret Missions optional?" Tracer asked.

"Normally, but all this stuff I heard just now…makes me wonder if Soldier: 76 knows."

Then as McCree started to turn, D. Va grabbed his gloved hand and said, "Okay, we'll do the Secret Mission if you promise not to tell Soldier: 76."

A sly smirk made its way across McCree's face. "That's what I like to hear."

Once McCree was away and out of earshot, Tracer turned to D. Va. "Did he just—

"Blackmail us?" D. Va finished. "I think so."

"Who knew he was capable of such lowly tricks as that."

"It's not like we have a choice, or he'll let Soldier: 76 know we're aware Lúcioball's star player is Lúcio. Then from there, he might figure out that we and Lúcio have been—

The bell ending Lunch Period rang, forcing D. Va and Tracer to head out.

"So long as we keep quiet, we'll be fine," Tracer assured.

To be continued…


	124. Stage 124: Opening Ceremony!

Stage 124: Opening Ceremony!

Two weeks later, Tracer and D. Va found themselves in Rio de Janeiro which looked surprisingly functional despite the rebellion that occurred a few years back. While Tracer was wearing an orange-and-yellow sports top with matching shorts and neon-blue arm guards, D. Va wore a new version of her MEKA suit that was white red and blue with the Korean flag symbol on her chest. They met McCree at the airport, who wore an american flag over his shoulders instead of the usual poncho, and together they took a bus to Estádio das Rãs.

"Feeling a little patriotic today?" Tracer mocked as she adjusted her blue shades.

McCree frowned. "Why aren't you wearing your British team uniform?"

"Because I was told at the last minute by my so-called 'teammates' that I would be running with the torch to start the Opening Ceremony."

"Oh, wow," D. Va remarked. "But isn't that usually reserved for the Olympic Games?"

"The Summer Games are an offshoot of the Olympics," McCree explained. "And this year the main competition is Lúcioball in honor of the famous singer who liberated the city."

"Who's ironically the star player," Tracer added. "But what's your deal, D. Va? You're not playing in the game as far as I know."

"The Korean Military are going to be in charge of security," D. Va sighed. "And they thought it would be a good chance to demonstrate MEKA's capabilities to the public."

"Giving you the perfect cover for this mission," McCree nodded. "I, on the other hand, wound up as a performer for the Opening Ceremony show."

"Who will you be playing as?" Tracer asked.

"Mister American," McCree begrudgingly answered.

D. Va snickered. "That does explain the ridiculous outfit."

McCree sneered at D. Va just as the bus parked near the Estádio das Rãs stadium. The three of them got off and were approached by a tall blonde woman wearing a white-and-red sports uniform with big knee pads and calf guards.

"Zarya?" Tracer realized.

In response, the blonde woman smiled. " _Da_ (Yes), but call me Champion."

"Oh, right," Tracer remembered, feeling embarrassed. "Well, I'm Sprinter. This is Taegeukgi and American."

D. Va and McCree in turn shook Zarya/Champion's hand.

Then all four of them went into the stadium's entrance while Widowmaker watched them from a nearby rooftop wearing a blue and silver-colored version of her suit with stripes of red.

"Reaper, this is Tricolore," Widowmaker said into her bluetooth. "The guests have arrived."

" ** _How many?_** " Reaper's voice demanded.

"Three."

" ** _Are they with Champion?_** "

" _Oui_ (Yes)."

" ** _Then keep watching. We need to wait for Vishkar's 'pet' to arrive before moving in._** "

"Copy."

###

As the Summer Games Opening Ceremony began, Tracer sprinted across the field with the Summer Games' flag flapping behind her while she carried a flaming torch. She was tempted to Blink, but fought the urge for the sake of not blowing anyone's cover including herself. In a matter of minutes, she reached the large bowl-shaped fire pit and lit it with the torch. The crowd cheered loudly in response while Tracer placed the torch on a stand and sprinted off to change into her British sports uniform which was blue-and-white with red sneakers.

This was then followed by fireworks, McCree's gun-totting performance, and the athletes' march around the stadium with Zarya and Tracer in their respective teams. Meanwhile, D. Va piloted MEKA, which was now blue and green, to follow the athletes. She spotted Lúcio at the forefront of Brazil's team but didn't try to get his attention. Then there was one last display of fireworks and the Opening Ceremony ended.

"Spotted anything unusual?" McCree asked D. Va after the stadium emptied.

"Well, apart from Lúcio, I noticed someone in the crowd who looked like Symmetra," D. Va reported outside of MEKA.

McCree's face became stern. "You sure about that?"

"I took a picture of her on my phone, in case you wouldn't believe me."

Taking out her pink cellphone, D. Va pulled up an image and showed it to McCree.

Among the crowd of regular people, there was one girl who stood out. She wore a white and purple dress with gray-and-white pants, platform shoes, orange shades, and a mechanical arm.

"Yeah, that looks like her," McCree stated. "Send the picture to me and I'll have Winston confirm the girl's identity with Athena."

"Okay," D. Va said glancing nervously at her phone.

###

The next day, four Lúcioball games went underway. Up first was South Korea and Japan, which was then followed by America and Switzerland. To D. Va's surprise, Japan barely managed to beat South Korea's team while Switzerland creamed America by several points.

 _It's weird how this is basically soccer, but the players use Sonic Amplifiers instead of their feet to move the ball around and it's freaking huge!_ D. Va thought as she pushed the giant soccer ball away using MEKA while the players shook hands before exiting the field. _Still, I wonder if Genji's watching this…wherever he may be._

After an hourlong break, the third game was Sweden versus France and Tracer saw Mercy taking away wounded players in a red and white version of her outfit.

 _What's she doing here?_ Tracer wondered. _McCree would've mentioned her if she was helping us with the Mission, right?_

Leaving her teammates, Tracer Blinked into the locker-room where she found Mercy healing the players with her Caduceus Staff.

"Um, Mercy," Tracer said, getting Mercy's attention.

Surprised, Mercy looked up. "It's Eidgenossin, Miss, not Mercy."

"Are you—

"I'm not involved with the Mission, in case you're wondering," Mercy answered before Tracer got to finish her sentence. "But there is someone close by that I need for my little side-project."

"Side-project? Does it involve Genji?"

"In a way, though he volunteered willingly."

"Then how come you won't let Zenyatta see him?"

Before Mercy could answer, the wounded player started speaking French in an angry tone. In turn, Mercy spoke calmly to him in French while Tracer decided to wait outside.

To be continued…


	125. Stage 125: Goals and Gas Leaks!

Stage 125: Goals and Gas Leaks!

After Sweden had won the third game, there was a hour-long dinner break before the fourth and final Lúcioball game of the day. During that time, Mercy told Tracer about her side-project but left out the information regarding Reaper's true identity and the lab break-in two weeks ago.

"So you need a sample of Reaper's blood to complete your research and think he's around here somewhere," Tracer said summarizing Mercy's explanation.

"Correct," Mercy nodded.

"Does McCree know?"

"No, but he's probably aware of my presence."

"How?"

"He works for…an organization that's usually on top of such matters."

"Is it Blackwatch?"

Hearing that, Mercy flinched.

"Just a wild guess," Tracer clarified. "But judging by your reaction, I take it it's a real thing."

Nervously, Mercy asked, "Why does this matter to you?"

"Because there was one time I met a future version of Winston. He claimed Overwatch gets discontinued in ten years due to some controversy regarding Blackwatch."

Mercy's eyes widened. "When did this happen?"

"Freshman year, when I fought Junkrat during that Hero Bash tournament and disappeared because he damaged my Chronal Accelerator."

"But you didn't disappear back then."

"Not in this timeline, but there's another where I did which was eliminated after I returned to the exact moment before my disappearance."

"I see." Taking a moment to let Tracer's words sink in, Mercy sighed. "Then you're worried these future events will come true?"

In response, Tracer nodded. "If I know what Blackwatch is, maybe I can somehow prevent them from occurring."

Before Mercy could say anything, one of the British players approached Tracer and told her to start prepping for their team's match with Brazil's that evening. So Tracer reluctantly left Mercy and followed the player back to Estádio das Rãs.

###

On the wide soccer field that was encased in a glass dome with stands full of people outside, Tracer stood next to two other players wielding Sonic Amplifiers. Across from them stood the giant titular Lúcioball and behind it were three members of Brazil's team including Seleção aka Lúcio. He didn't seem to notice her as the countdown began from four minutes. Tracer's teammates scattered as the ball came flying towards them after one of the Brazil players send it flying with his Sonic Amplifier. As it rolled toward the goal, Tracer ran over and sent the ball flying away while the other two assisted her.

"What's the matter, Tracy? You've gotten a lot slower since we last met."

Surprised, Tracer looked to her left and saw Lúcio standing nearby.

"And you apparently forgot what being incognito means," Tracer remarked bluntly.

"I'm tired of running away," Lúcio claimed as he leaped up to sent the ball flying into the British team's goal.

"What?" Tracer snapped, reacting to both Lúcio's remark and Brazil scoring a point.

"Less talk, more scoring," Lúcio responded as he rejoined his team on the other side of the field.

###

Though Tracer's team managed to score quite a few goals, Lúcio's won by a hair. This greatly disappointed Tracer, but then she had to remind herself of the Mission at hand. As the British and Brazilian players passed each other giving high-fives, Tracer placed a small tracking device inside Lúcio's front pocket in a quick Blink before slapping his hand.

"Good game," Tracer said politely.

"Same here," Lúcio smiled.

In the locker-room, Tracer collapsed from exhaustion as Zarya suddenly came in.

"Did you do it?" Zarya demanded.

"Yes," Tracer nodded. "Didn't seem to notice."

"Let's hope so."

Then as Zarya turned away, Tracer asked, "Is that your natural hair color?"

" _Da_ (Yes)," Zarya replied. "But I miss it being pink."

"Yeah, but you're not bad-looking as a blonde."

This made Zarya blush, causing her to not look at Tracer. "How are things with girlfriend?"

"Oh, fine," Tracer responded casually. "Still adjusting to the whole idea of being a lesbian, but Emily makes it worthwhile."

"That is good."

Afterwards, Zarya left leaving Tracer alone for a while until D. Va showed up.

"I saw you talking to Lúcio," D. Va said anxiously. "Did he say anything important?"

"Not really, except that he's 'tired of running away' apparently."

D. Va blinked. "What does that mean?"

Tracer shrugged.

###

The next day, Japan's team won against Switzerland's while Brazil battled Sweden and were victorious. During all of this, McCree was keeping track of Lúcio's movements via the device Tracer planted on him. But an hour before Brazil's match with Russia, Winston informed McCree that Lúcio was no longer being tracked.

"What d'you mean you lost him?" McCree said in an angry tone.

" _His signal has vanished on my radar, which means the tracking device was either destroyed or hacked into._ "

"Which is the more likely explanation?"

" _I'm not sure, but I'll send the coordinates of his last location._ "

"Fine, though I have the sneaking suspicion that Symmetra is behind this."

" _It is a distinct possibility._ "

A few seconds later, McCree left his hotel-room and went over to Tracer's. He told her the situation and she in turn put on the Chronal Accelerator. After checking to make sure no one was watching, Tracer Blinked out of the hotel and over to Estádio das Rãs where the Brazilian players stood alongside men in gas masks.

"Oi!" Tracer waved, getting the men's attention. "What's going on?"

"Someone reported a gas leak inside the locker-room," Mercy explained as she was tending to a passed-out player. "This man was found lying outside a storage-closet in this state, though based on my initial examination…I think he's been poisoned."

This made Tracer flinch. "You don't think it's—

"I don't know, Tracer, but McCree should know about this regardless."

So Tracer turned on the CommLink and told McCree what happened. He said to wait for the gas-masked men to finish their work, but Tracer grew impatient with every second. Then out of frustration, she decided to look for another entrance and found a graffiti artist sneaking around the stadium. Following them, Tracer saw the graffiti artist open a hidden glass-door which led directly into the stadium and take out a spray-can. Before they had the chance to enter, she intercepted them with her Pulse Pistols drawn.

"All right, luv," Tracer sneered, pointing her Pulse Pistols at the graffiti artist who was female wearing a blue hoodie, gas mask, and metallic-colored leggings. "If you don't want to go to prison for defacing public property, I'm going to need to borrow your clothes for a bit."

To be continued…


	126. Stage 126: Through the Teleporter!

Stage 126: Through the Teleporter!

With the graffiti artist's clothes equipped, Tracer went into the stadium through the glass-door and Blinked to the locker-room's entrance. Confused by the lack of visible gas, she progressed farther until a slightly open storage-closet caught her attention.

 _This must be where the athlete was found_ , Tracer thought and stepped inside.

There were two objects that immediately caught Tracer's attention. The first was a blue oval of energy coming from a lotus-shaped device, while the other was a mine that resembled a spider.

" _So Symmetra and_ _Widowmaker were both here,_ " Tracer said as her voice became muffled through the mask. " _They must've cornered Lúcio into this storage-closet where Widowmaker deployed a Venom Mine to kill him but Symmetra created a Teleporter and got away. Now where does the Teleporter lead, I wonder?_ "

Hearing rapid footsteps outside, Tracer guessed it was the gas-masked men and leaped into the Teleporter without hesitation. On the other side she found herself in a large lobby area with white chairs arranged in clusters and a high-vaulted archway. After stepping through it, she walked out into a traffic circle surrounded by several buildings on one side while the other had several hover cars zooming down a busy street. Beyond that stood an imposing tower that was being built into the sky.

" _Great Scott!_ " Tracer exclaimed. " _I'm in Oasis!_ "

"Indeed we are, _chéri_ (darling)."

Tracer glanced back and saw Widowmaker standing right behind her with the Widow's Kiss sniper-rifle out and her Infra-Sight visor on.

" _Nice threads,_ " Tracer commented, looking at Widowmaker's silver blue and red suit from head to toe. " _Did the French team give that to you?_ "

Widowmaker made a slight grin. "I was contracted to kill Seleção so the French team could win the Summer Games Lúcioball tournament."

" _But that's not the only reason you're here,_ " Tracer guessed. " _Talon's hired you to kill Lúcio because he betrayed Sombra by running off and since they're the same person you'll be killing two birds with one stone._ "

"You're not as dumb as you look," Widowmaker complimented. "Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to interfere."

" _Then try and stop me, Widowmaker!_ "

"It's Tricolore now," Widowmaker lowered the sniper-rifle slightly. "And I know your tricks well enough to not shoot. Instead, I'll destroy the one thing that can send you back."

" _The Teleporter,_ " Tracer realized. " _But you'll be stranded here too._ "

"Not necessarily," Widowmaker stated. "If I go through the one on this end, all I have to do is demolish the other at Rio de Janeiro. However, this can be prevented if you bring Lúcio to me."

" _Someone's been taking lessons on blackmail from Sombra._ "

"She has her uses."

" _What if I refuse to go along with this regardless of the consequences?_ "

"Are you trying to test my patience?" Widowmaker frowned as she held the sniper-rifle up again.

" _That's what I'm best at._ "

"Fine, then kiss your one-way ticket home goodbye."

As Widowmaker turned around and ran back towards the lobby, Tracer interceded her by Blinking. She held her at gunpoint with the Pulse Pistols out, and saw some green-and-white hover cars approach them with sirens going off.

" _Looks like the coppers are here,_ " Tracer remarked. " _Have fun with them!_ "

Then Tracer Blinked up some nearby stairs, which left the traffic circle, and came upon a forked road leading up to the tower. She leaped onto a nearby car and rode it up to the tower's entrance. Once inside, Tracer found a foyer with desktop computers on either side and two robots constructing a strange holographic object. Ignoring it, she looked around. Past the foyer was a large circular room with a hole in the middle. This led down into a chamber with bright blue lights and Lúcio's hunched form as he was pressing buttons next to a holographic sphere.

" _Lúcio?_ " Tracer asked, jumping down into the hole. " _What are you doing here?_ "

Surprised, Lúcio stood up still wearing his Lúcioball team uniform. "Tracer? How—

" _Symmetra's Teleporter,_ " Tracer answered bluntly. " _Though it might get destroyed if we don't leave now._ "

"But I'm almost done downloading," Lúcio responded. "This is the Oasis University's database, and it has every printed material stored digitally here. If I can acquire all the documents on Vishkar's activity in Rio de Janeiro, it'll be enough to expose their crimes to the whole world."

"Not while I'm here."

Tracer and Lúcio looked at the top of the database chamber to see Symmetra in her purple-and-white uniform pointing the Photon Projector down at them.

"Hey, Sym," Lúcio said casually. "I was just looking for the bathroom."

"Very funny," Symmetra frowned. "Now step away from the computer and come with me."

" _He's not going anywhere,_ " Tracer insisted and fired one of the Pulse Pistols at Symmetra's Photon Projector causing her to drop it.

Then just before Symmetra could pick the Projector up, Tracer Blinked out of the hole and pointed the Pistols at Symmetra's head.

" _Seems the tables have turned,_ " Tracer smirked.

"I wouldn't be too sure, Tracer," Symmetra replied coyly. "You are trapped in your own mind."

Before Tracer could discern what Symmetra meant, several shiny white turret guns scattered about the room went off and fired at her. Fortunately, she Recalled and took them out with her Pulse Pistols. But in that time, Symmetra leaped down into the database chamber just as Lúcio turned off the holographic sphere.

"Listen to me," Symmetra said as Lúcio tucked a small disk into his soccer shorts. "If that information gets leaked to the public, you'll undo everything the Vishkar Corporation has worked for."

"And what is that?" Lúcio asked sarcastically.

"To create a perfect world."

"By enslaving cities and doing deals with shady presidents? I don't think so."

Lúcio then used his rollerblades to get up some stairs that were nearby and joined Tracer on the floor above the database chamber. Together, they escaped the tower and made their way back to the city center where a group of policemen were blocking the lobby area. While Lúcio blasted them away with his Sonic Amplifier, Tracer Blinked into the lobby and was relieved to see the Teleporter intact. Once Lúcio joined her, the two of them stepped through the Teleporter and were met by Reaper's shotguns while Widowmaker stood next to him. At their feet lay the gas-masked men who were passed out around an empty Venom Mine.

" ** _Playtime's over, kids,_** " Reaper stated. " ** _Now put away your toys and go to bed…forever!_** "

The _click_ of a revolver was heard causing Reaper to glance over his shoulder. McCree was standing in the doorway of the storage-closet with his Peacekeeper Revolver out and Mercy standing behind him wielding her Caduceus Staff. Immediately, Widowmaker picked up her sniper-rifle and aimed it at McCree's forehead.

"Don't move, or I'll shoot," Widowmaker warned McCree.

In turn, McCree grinned. "Is that a challenge, Missy?"

To be continued…


	127. Stage 127: Disobedience!

Stage 127: Disobedience!

" _You lost Lúcio again?_ " said an irritated male voice in the headset Symmetra wore. " _Explain yourself, Satya!_ "

"I was just about to bring him to Oasis when Widowmaker showed up and threw a Venom Mine our way," Symmetra explained as she drove from the tower to the city center in a rental hover-car. "We managed to escape through the Teleporter but passed out due to the poison in our lungs. Fortunately, the doctors at Oasis University were able to save us. But Lúcio woke up before I did and attempted to steal some electronic documents on Vishkar's activities in Rio de Janeiro."

" _Did you stop him?_ "

"He had help from an Overwatch student named Tracer, who must've used the Teleporter to get here, and got away with her."

" _Where did they go?_ "

"They're probably heading for the Teleporter, which I'm going to right now."

" _Good,_ " the voice responded in a calmer tone. " _When you catch up, kill them on sight._ "

Symmetra flinched. "But Sanjay—

" _Do not question me, Satya!_ " the voice snapped. " _Lúcio has become too much of a liability to keep alive, and having Overwatch get involved is the last thing we want._ "

Resisting the urge to sigh, Symmetra replied, "You're right. I'm sorry for what I said."

" _No worries,_ " Sanjay assured. " _You're still young, but with the potential to become a great Vishkar agent._ "

"Really?"

" _Yes, if you do as you're told and don't question my authority again. Is that clear?_ "

"Absolutely."

###

As McCree prepared to fire his revolver, Tracer decided to Recall back to before she and Lúcio entered the Teleporter. This time, she armed her Pulse Pistols and immediately fired them at Reaper upon emerging from the Teleporter though Widowmaker responded by shooting Lúcio with the Widow's Kiss. So Tracer Recalled again and told Lúcio to blast the Sonic Amplifier on her command.

"Okay, but why?" Lúcio asked.

" _Just do it,_ " Tracer answered before entering the Teleporter a third time. " _You'll thank me later._ "

On the other side, Tracer shouted " _Now!_ " before firing several energy bullets into Reaper's chest. Meanwhile, Lúcio blasted Widowmaker across the room with the Sonic Amplifier causing her to hit the side of the doorway next to McCree and slump down.

"Hooey," McCree exclaimed. "Nice work."

" _Thanks,_ " Tracer smiled.

"But you're still in a heap of trouble." McCree folded his arms.

"Can't we discuss this later?" Mercy demanded as she took a syringe out of her dress-pocket. "I want to get a blood sample from Reaper before—

Just as Mercy spoke, Reaper's limp body evaporated into mist. It drifted toward Widowmaker, picked her up, and flew past Mercy out of the storage-closet.

"He's getting away!" McCree threw a grenade at the mist which exploded upon impact.

This caused Reaper to assume physical form as he staggered down the hallway with Widowmaker held in his arms. While McCree pursued him, Mercy resurrected the gas-masked men who were killed by Widowmaker's Venom Mine. Once the hallway was empty, she led them outside with Tracer and Lúcio scouting ahead. They saw no signs of Reaper, Widowmaker, or McCree on the way before stopping in front of Estádio das Rãs where the Brazilian athletes greeted Lúcio with open arms.

###

On a sloped hill above the city of Rio de Janeiro, Reaper finally stopped to catch his breath as he placed Widowmaker's unconscious body down.

" ** _Need…souls…to feast on,_** " Reaper muttered to himself.

"How bout a fistful of bullets instead?"

Reaper turned around and saw McCree standing a few feet away with the Peacekeeper revolver in hand.

" ** _Jesse,_** " Reaper muttered as he took his shotguns out and pointed them at McCree. " ** _Quick on your feet as always, I see._** "

"Learned from the best," McCree remarked. "Now you can either come quietly, or I'll be forced to send your corpse back to the grave where it belongs."

" ** _The grave cannot hold me,_** " Reaper replied. " ** _I am Death itself!_** "

"Sounds like something a psychopath would say."

" ** _I'm a high-functioning psychopath, thank you very much._** "

"Same thing," McCree shrugged.

" ** _Mock me all you want, but your soul is mine._** "

"Then come and get it, skull-face!"

The two fired their guns at the same time, but neither's bullets hit the other. Then McCree threw another Flashbang grenade, but Reaper turned into mist and reappeared behind McCree where he pointed his two shotguns at McCree's head.

" ** _You're so predictable,_** " Reaper stated. " ** _After all, I taught you everything you know._** "

"Lucky for me, I still have a few tricks of my own."

In a split second, McCree shot Reaper's foot causing him to hobble backwards. This allowed McCree to stand over Reaper, but once again he turned into mist and reappeared behind him.

" ** _If it weren't for me, you would be in jail along with the rest of the Deadlock Gang,_** " Reaper reminded McCree. " ** _Yet you betrayed Blackwatch by turning chicken during our attempted takeover at the Swiss Headquarters._** "

McCree chuckled. "I'm not good, not bad, but I sure as hell ain't ugly."

" ** _Says the guy with the robotic arm._** "

Instinctively, McCree touched it. "This was _your_ doing, not mine."

" ** _Don't go blaming a bomb for bad decision-making, Cowboy._** "

"Well, ain't that a hypocritical thing to say."

Reloading his revolver, McCree turned around to shoot Reaper only to find him drifting away in a black mist. He attempted to throw a Flashbang grenade, but it didn't go very far before exploding midair. Then when McCree looked back down, Widowmaker was nowhere to be seen.

###

"Guess the battle woke her up and she fled," McCree explained to Soldier: 76 on the CommLink while the Lúcioball tournament continued with Brazil's team leading a few points higher than Russia. "I couldn't find 'em, and neither could Winston."

Soldier: 76 grumbled. " _What about Symmetra and Lúcio?_ "

"Lúcio's agreed to go into protective custody with us, while Symmetra's Teleporter vanished from the storage-closet when we went to check on it."

" _So she's probably fled too._ "

"That's what I reckon."

" _Then after the Lúcioball tournament is over, return to Base._ "

"Sure thing, Boss!"

To be continued…


	128. Stage 128: Bait and Switch!

Stage 128: Bait and Switch!

A few weeks had passed since the Lúcioball tournament Mission ended. While Tracer was given extra homework assignments as punishment for disobeying McCree, Lúcio was forced to stay in the Detention Center 24/7 with no access to the Sonic Amplifier or the disk he downloaded. In his office, Soldier: 76 had finished talking to a Vishkar agent named Sanjay Korpal and sighed heavily just as McCree walked in.

"How's a going?" McCree asked. "You don't look too good."

" _It's Vishkar,_ " Soldier: 76 answered. " _They're threatening to withdraw funding if we don't hand Lúcio over to them._ "

"I'm pretty sure they're more interested in this." McCree reached into his jean pocket and pulled out the disk.

" _That's what I think as well, but they don't know we have it._ "

"Maybe, but Vishkar could be trying to make us think they don't know when in reality they do."

" _But what would they have to gain?_ "

"It would lure us into a false sense of security, giving them enough time to enact a counter plan to retrieve the disk and/or Lúcio."

" _Then we need to be cautious. Make a second copy of the disk and put it somewhere safe._ "

"What about Lúcio?"

" _Continue watching him for now._ "

"Okey dokey."

###

In his Detention Center cell, Lúcio was sporting the green-and-blue outfit he used to wear listening to music. The sound of footsteps startled him and he looked up. To his surprise it was Symmetra, who had switched from the purple-and-white uniform back to her usual blue dress with the thigh-high boots and white headset.

"Sym," Lúcio exclaimed. "How'd you get past security?"

"I shocked McCree into unconsciousness with an Energy Ball and severed Athena's connection to this facility by destroying the security-room computer," Symmetra explained as she created a Sentry Turret with her Photon Projector.

"What are you doing?" Lúcio asked, backing away from the glass wall of his cell.

"I'm here to kill you."

"Why? I don't have the disk."

Symmetra stopped making the Sentry Turret. "This had better not be a trick."

"Check McCree's body if you don't believe me."

Hesitating, Symmetra looked down at the Turret and then Lúcio. After a seemingly long pause, she dismantled the Turret with her Photon Projector and walked back to the security-room.

 _Something doesn't seem right_ , Symmetra thought as she came upon McCree's knocked out body. _If Lúcio didn't have the disk on him, then why didn't Sanjay tell me?_

Searching thoroughly, Symmetra pulled the same disk Lúcio held in Oasis out of McCree's belt and tucked it inside the folds of her dress.

"Sanjay," Symmetra said through her headset. "I found the disk with the documents Lúcio downloaded from Oasis' database."

" _Excellent,_ " Sanjay replied. " _Then I assume you killed Lúcio as ordered._ "

"Not exactly," Symmetra answered reluctantly. "The disk was on an Overwatch agent named McCree, so I see no reason to kill Lúcio at this point."

" _I see_."

Then Sanjay paused, making Symmetra worry he didn't buy into her story.

" _Well, no matter,_ " Sanjay stated after his brief silence. " _The disk is more important than Lúcio's life, anyway, so meet me at the rendezvous point and I'll erase the information on it myself._ "

"All right, I'm on my way." Symmetra turned off the headset and walked out of the Detention Center.

 _He sounded disappointed_ , Symmetra realized. _Maybe I should've killed Lúcio after all, but if I did…it wouldn't have taken long for Overwatch to find out who the killer was. They would certainly put the blame on Vishkar, unless…I would've been the one to take the fall for them._

The thought scared her, and quickly banished it before entering a Teleporter she set up near the Detention Center entrance.

###

" _Good work, Lúcio,_ " Soldier: 76 complimented. " _You're free to go._ "

"Really?" Lúcio's eyes widened as he stood in Soldier: 76's office.

"We see no reason to keep you here since your purpose has been fulfilled," McCree butted in, folding his arms.

"In terms of me being bait for Symmetra?" Lúcio pointed to himself. "She could've killed me if her conscious didn't kick in."

"A fortunate thing indeed," McCree agreed.

This answer surprised Lúcio. "So you didn't know ahead of time?"

" _McCree and I figured it was possible she would come to kill you for the disk, but not certain,_ " Soldier: 76 clarified. " _Therefore, we said nothing in case this assumption turned out to be false._ "

"But once Vishkar finds out the disk Symmetra took is fake, they're going to retaliate for sure," McCree reminded Soldier: 76.

" _And that's where the real disk is going to come in handy._ " Soldier: 76 laced his fingers together and stared intensely at Lúcio behind his visor. " _If Vishkar threatens to take away our school funding again, we can use the information to make them back off._ "

"Oh," Lúcio muttered. "I was hoping to release copies of the disk to various media outlets including Atlas News so the UN would _have_ to do a proper investigation of Vishkar's involvement prior to the Rio de Janeiro rebellion."

" _The UN's got a lot on its plate as is, but I'll talk to my superior Petras about looking into the matter,_ " Soldier: 76 offered. " _If he's willing to help, we'll let you know._ "

"Okay." Lúcio scratched the back of his head and then said, "Before I go, there's someone I'd like to see."

" _Who?_ " Soldier: 76 asked.

"D. Va."

McCree raised an eyebrow. "She an acquaintance of yours?"

"Sort of," Lúcio fibbed.

" _For how long?_ " Soldier: 76 demanded.

"About a year, before I ran away."

"Is there a particular reason you'd like to see her now?" McCree wondered.

"I, uh, wanted to apologize for leaving so suddenly, and I don't know if I'll ever see her again after this."

Soldier: 76 unlaced his fingers and pressed a button to call D. Va. She was currently having lunch with Tracer at _The Watering Hole_ cafeteria and reluctantly left to meet with him. Meanwhile, Tracer decided to finish her meal quickly and visit Zenyatta in his dorm.

To be continued…


	129. Stage 129: Agreement and Doubt!

Stage 129: Agreement and Doubt!

Once D. Va had arrived, Lúcio asked if they could talk privately somewhere. Soldier: 76 complied and took them to an empty classroom which had a hidden security camera.

After Soldier: 76 and McCree left, D. Va asked, "What's going on?"

"I had to see you one last time before I left, Princess," Lúcio explained, grasping D. Va's arms.

The two shared a passionate kiss, and then D. Va broke off. "Did you tell Soldier: 76 about—

"Not a word," Lúcio assured. "I claimed I wanted to apologize for leaving so suddenly."

"Oh, I see. So why are you going now?"

"Soldier: 76 said I was free to go, now that they don't need me anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"They essentially used me to lure Symmetra out so she could take this disk containing documents on Vishkar's activities in Rio de Janeiro which I downloaded from Oasis."

"Did she get it?"

"No, but a fake one that McCree deliberately had on hand."

"Won't Vishkar find out, though?"

"Probably, so Soldier: 76 is holding onto the real disk in case they threaten to take away funds for your school."

"Isn't that blackmail?"

"Pretty much."

D. Va hugged her shoulders looking concerned. "And I thought only the bad guys resorted to that kind of stuff."

"It surprised me too, but I guess Soldier: 76 has a good reason."

"Doesn't mean it's okay, and that disk was important to you, right?"

"Yeah," Lúcio admitted. "I was hoping to give it to the media so they could instigate an investigation into Vishkar's involvement with the Rio de Janeiro rebellion, which would've settled my score and allowed us to be together."

"You're right," D. Va realized. "Why didn't Soldier: 76 let you do it?"

"He said the UN's pretty busy at the moment, but promised to talk to Petras about the situation."

"Tracer doesn't think Petras is trustworthy," D. Va frowned. "He's apparently very strict about what Overwatch agents can and cannot do, and no one's ever seen him in person."

"Seems pretty shady," Lúcio commented. "But don't worry, I'll find another way to take down Vishkar. I promise."

"You're always making promises," D. Va complained. "Just admit this thing you've got against Vishkar is never going to end!"

Surprised by this reaction, Lúcio said, "I wouldn't say that."

"Then when will it be over?"

Lúcio tried to think of something to say, but couldn't.

"That's what I thought." D. Va turned away from Lúcio. "Maybe we need to rethink how our relationship is going to be."

"You don't mean we should—

"I don't know," D. Va shook her head. "I've been thinking about the situation for sometime, and so far it hasn't been entirely satisfying."

"For you?"

In response, D. Va nodded.

"I'm not sure what to say," Lúcio responded after a pause. "I want you to be happy, but it's not like I can just abandon taking down Vishkar altogether."

"Then give it some thought, and get back to me later."

"All right, I'll do that."

So with a final kiss, the two parted.

###

Meanwhile, Tracer found Zenyatta meditating in his room though he kept sighing heavily.

"Something wrong, Zenyatta?" Tracer asked, getting his attention.

" _Oh, Tracer,_ " Zenyatta responded in a sad tone. " _The Iris has closed itself off to me._ "

Tracer blinked her eyes. "Come again?"

" _It is the otherworldly presence which sees machines and humans as equals, at least according to Mondatta,_ " Zenyatta explained. " _Normally I feel it when I'm in a meditative state, but such has not been the case since I've returned from Nepal._ "

"Maybe you're just not concentrating hard enough."

" _Perhaps, though it's probably because my mind is clouded by doubt._ "

"About Genji?"

" _Partially, though mostly in regard to who I am._ "

"Well, that's easy. You're Tekhartha Zenyatta, an Omnic who became a Shambali Monk and is about to graduate from Overwatch High School."

" _I'm not talking about my identity,_ " Zenyatta clarified. " _I am referring to my purpose in life, since I can no longer consider myself a Shambali Monk._ "

"Doesn't mean you have to give up Mondatta's teachings, unlike the others."

" _But what good are they in a world that's on the brink of another Omnic Crisis?_ "

"Just concentrate on graduation first, and worry about that later."

" _That is easier said than done, given the rising tensions between Null Sector-aligned Omnics and human authorities. If only my student were here…_ "

As Zenyatta attempted to meditate once more, Tracer thought for a moment and snapped her finger. "Tell you what: if you agree to meet Orisa and Efi after classes are done tomorrow, I'll find Genji and bring him to you."

This made Zenyatta turn to Tracer. " _Is there a particular reason you want me to see Orisa, other than she's an Omnic like myself?_ "

"She needs guidance, being so young and all, and I think you're the right one to do it."

" _Your compliment is flattering, but—_

"You'll do fine," Tracer assured. "Just be yourself."

###

The next day, Tracer followed Mercy to the science building after having a quick supper. She saw Mercy go into the janitor's closet, open a hidden door, and close it behind her. After several seconds passed, Mercy didn't come out. This made Tracer suspicious and open the door herself. On the other side stood a small elevator with two buttons. Pressing the lower one caused the hidden door to close and the elevator to go down. Once it stopped, Tracer got out and entered a dimly lit room with a computer and voices coming from nearby.

"How are you feeling, Genji?" Mercy asked, standing next to a metal table which Genji's body was strapped to in an adjacent room.

" _Fine,_ " Genji replied. " _Are we going to remove the tubes from my head today?_ "

"I plan to replace them with self-contained ones so you can move around more easily and always have access to the serum if need be."

Genji said nothing in turn while Mercy checked his vital signs. Outside, Tracer attempted to access the computer but it was password-locked.

"Shoot," Tracer muttered under her breath. "Guess I'll have to look around some more."

The sound of a door opening caught Tracer's attention and she Blinked under the desk where the computer was.

To be continued…


	130. Stage 130: Silence!

**130th Chapter! Thank you guys so much for supporting my fanfic this far, which has officially surpassed my longest fanfic titled** ** _Sonic Reborn_** **! Continue to review, follow, and favorite it!**

Stage 130: Silence!

Crouching low, Tracer sat perfectly still as the sound of heels echoed through the room. A few seconds later, the room was filled with light.

"Tracer," Mercy realized, noticing Tracer's crouched form. "What are you doing down here?"

"I, err, got lost," Tracer lied.

Frowning, Mercy said, "You're here to find Genji, aren't you?"

Tracer attempted to speak, but stopped herself short.

Mercy sighed and gestured Tracer to follow her. "He's in here."

Reluctantly, Tracer followed Mercy into the other room where she beheld Genji's new form.

"That's a new look," Tracer remarked. "What are you doing to him?"

" _She is trying to find a means to resurrect those who've been killed by Reaper's hand,_ " Genji answered wearily.

"Like those corpses at Savior Hospital?" Tracer guessed.

"Exactly," Mercy chimed in. "And Genji has volunteered to help me find that cure."

"Oh, I see," Tracer acknowledged. "But why keep this a secret from Zenyatta?"

" _If others knew about this, then people like Talon would eventually find out,_ " Genji explained. " _So Mercy insisted on saying nothing._ "

"Yet Reaper did break in here not too long ago," Mercy admitted. "He would've gotten away with my research if Soldier: 76 hadn't shown up."

"Do you know how he learned about the project?" Tracer asked.

"Apparently, it was through Sombra," Mercy answered.

"Of course," Tracer groaned. "But why didn't she steal your research remotely instead of having Reaper take it directly from here?"

"She tried to, but was blocked by Athena."

"Well, that's good. Still sucks that Reaper got down here, though."

"Yes, it has forced me to take slower steps to finding the cure than before in case Talon sends another agent."

" _But I have a feeling they'll most likely try to kill you if the cure is found,_ " Genji chimed in. " _All the more reason to prepare me for combat now._ "

"I know, Genji, though we'll need to run a few tests to be sure," Mercy responded.

"Maybe Zenyatta can help," Tracer suggested.

" _That's…not a bad idea, acually,_ " Genji said thoughtfully. " _He could record data much more quickly than an ordinary person, and I would appreciate his company._ "

Mercy gave Tracer a hesitant look. "I'll think about it, and let you know."

"Okay." Tracer pretended to smile and stepped back. "Carry on, then."

###

" _Do you have any dreams, my friend?_ " Zenyatta asked Orisa as the two sat in Efi's workshop.

" _I do not dream as humans do,_ " Orisa replied. " _But it is my desire to become the hero Efi believes that I am._ "

"She's the kind of protector Numbani needs," Efi added. "Though no one seems to think so."

Surprised by this, Zenyatta said, " _Are you referring to the recent anti-Omnic posters that have been appearing in the hallways?_ "

Efi nodded. "It's really upsetting that just because a handful of Omnics have been acting violently people now think they're not trustworthy."

" _This 'handful' of Omnics are a lot bigger than you think, and surprisingly influential,_ " Zenyatta warned, causing Efi to give him an odd look.

"How do you know?" Efi demanded.

" _Because they have corrupted my former brothers and sisters at the Shambali Temple in Nepal, who now wish to declare a second Omnic Crisis on the world._ "

A heavy silence fell over the room.

" _There has been no news reports of such a declaration,_ " Orisa responded. " _So where did you get this information from?_ "

" _I was present when it happened,_ " Zenyatta answered bluntly. " _And was held hostage for not siding with the new leader of the Shambali Monks._ "

"Then you must have escaped if you're able to tell us this," Efi assumed. "But if it's not public knowledge, why say anything about it?"

" _If you're going to become the next generation of Heroes, you'll have to contend with a violent world that is subject to change at any point in time,_ " Zenyatta claimed. " _But no matter what happens, always stick to your ideals and be the better person._ "

"So should we just ignore the anti-Omnic posters?"

" _For now, until the proper authorities fix the problem._ "

" _That does seem to be the most logical solution,_ " Orisa agreed.

"If you two say so," Efi sighed and looked at the clock. "It's almost time for Lights Out."

" _Y_ _ou're right,_ " Zenyatta realized. " _I should be heading back._ "

" _It was very nice to meet you, Tekhartha Zenyatta,_ " Orisa complimented as Zenyatta hovered toward the workshop entrance.

" _I couldn't agree more, Orisa,_ " Zenyatta replied, looking back. " _And please call me 'Zenyatta.'_ "

" _All right, Zenyatta._ " Orisa made a smiling gesture with her eyes and waved.

###

Back at the dorms, Tracer met up with Zenyatta and told him the situation with Genji. He seemed disappointed that Mercy didn't trust him enough to be with Genji now, but understood why. A few days later, though, Mercy contacted Zenyatta directly and asked him to meet her. So he did, and was brought to the underground lab where Genji was.

" _Master,_ " Genji murmured, opening one red eye. " _It's been too long since I've seen your face._ "

" _That is true for me as well, my student._ " Zenyatta looked at Genji's body from head to toe. " _You have undergone quite the transformation since I last saw you._ "

" _Indeed,_ " Genji blinked. " _If Angela didn't give me this opportunity, I would've been in a coma until she constructed a new suit._ "

" _Angela?_ " Zenyatta looked at Mercy in confusion. " _Has he told you his—_

Genji squeezed Zenyatta's hand tightly, thus causing him to stop. " _Um, could you give us a moment to talk privately, Angela?_ "

"Sure," Mercy smiled. "I'll just be entering data in the other room."

After Mercy left, Genji said, " _No, I have not expressed my true feelings for her yet. She just likes it if I call her by her first name._ "

" _Oh, my apologies,_ " Zenyatta responded. " _I had foolishly assumed that you not calling Mercy by her last name meant a development in your desired relationship with her._ "

" _I'm not even sure it's a good idea,_ " Genji admitted sadly. " _She's several years older than me and I'll be graduating soon, so I won't get to see her as much after that._ "

" _Then all these years of trying to get her attention will have been for nothing,_ " Zenyatta reminded Genji.

" _I only fell in love because she saved my life,_ " Genji claimed. " _Now I'm repaying her by helping with this 'side-project' which will help others, and that's good enough for me._ "

Zenyatta bowed his head. " _If that is what you chose, then so be it._ "

To be continued…


	131. Stage 131: Success!

Stage 131: Success!

Over the next few months, Zenyatta aided Mercy with her side-project while keeping Genji company. In the meantime, Tracer occasionally visited to check up on things as she was figuring out what to do after graduation.

"I'm thinking about going back to King's Row, but I'm not sure," Tracer confessed to Genji one night as Mercy and Zenyatta were entering data in the other room.

" _Why is that?_ " Genji asked.

"Because I screwed up last time."

" _You shouldn't dwell on past mistakes to determine your future._ "

"I know, but Britain hasn't been too keen on letting Overwatch agents in after what happened."

" _Things were that way before you showed up. Nothing has changed._ "

"Except for the increasing number of Null Sector Omnics."

" _All the more reason for Overwatch to get involved, whether the Prime Minister likes it or not._ "

"Yeah, I guess that's true."

" _So other than being your native country, are there any particular reasons you want to be at King's Row?_ "

"Well, I want to be with my girlfriend more," Tracer admitted while blushing. "And do a better job than before."

" _Seems reasonable to me._ "

As Genji's eyelids started to close, Tracer noted, "Guess those workouts with your new body really did you in."

" _Just need to get used to it, then I'll be fine,_ " Genji sighed. " _Remember when you asked me about Blackwatch?_ "

"Sort of," Tracer said. "It was an offhanded thing I said without much consideration, and given the way Mercy reacted when I asked her it's clearly some big secret that everyone's trying to hide for some reason."

" _How much do you know about it?_ "

"Not much, other than Gabriel Reyes was its former leader."

" _And where did you get that information from?_ "

"Time-traveling back into the past when Doomfist crushed my Chronal Accelerator."

" _I see._ "

###

From there, Genji told Tracer about what really happened at the Swiss Headquarters and Reaper's true identity.

When Genji was done speaking, Tracer remembered, "A while back, I noticed Reaper kind of looked like Gabe in that picture Mercy has. Didn't know anything back then."

" _Now you must promise to never tell anyone about this,_ " Genji stated firmly.

"Okay, but why's everyone so quiet about it?"

" _Because according to McCree, it will ruin Overwatch's reputation for good._ "

"He's a part of Blackwatch too, right?"

" _He is its current leader, after Gabriel Reyes seemingly died._ "

"Was he aware of Gabe being alive?"

Genji shook his head. " _Only found out after Ana and Soldier: 76 did._ "

"Which was?"

" _During a Talon-related mission at Giza Plateau, and in a private conversation with Mercy._ "

"If she knew the whole time, why didn't Mercy tell Soldier: 76 sooner?"

" _She feared his reaction would be negative, given who Gabriel is currently._ "

"Gotcha," Tracer nodded. "Does Petras know, by chance?"

" _No, but he has gotten dangerously close to knowing the truth."_

"Would it be bad if he did?"

" _McCree seems to think so._ "

"Eureka!" Mercy cried in the other room.

This made Tracer leave Genji and behold Mercy hugging Zenyatta tightly.

"What's going on?" Tracer asked.

"I think I've found the means to resurrect Reaper's victims," Mercy replied excitedly. "All I need to do is test it."

Grabbing her Caduceus Staff, Mercy downloaded a bunch of information onto it from the computer through a special cable. Then she went into another door and ended up in a third room that was freezing cold. The corpses of Reaper's victims lay here, including Mercy's former assistant. Taking a deep breath, Mercy activated the staff and shouted, "Heroes never die!"

There was a bright flash of light, and the corpses were now standing looking very healthy.

###

After conducting a series of checkups, Mercy confirmed that all of Reaper's victims were completely alive with no side-effects involved such as sudden cell decay. She made her success known to Soldier: 76 through the CommLink, who in turn had the victims put into Witness Protection. As an extra safety measure, McCree sent several Blackwatch agents to watch over them.

"It's so strange seeing the formerly dead walk among the living," Torbjörn observed while Soldier: 76 was looking through surveillance photos.

It was now Spring Semester, and so far no one had died.

" _Indeed,_ " Soldier: 76 replied wearily. " _But we are no strangers to death._ "

"Even so, Mercy should have left well enough alone."

Soldier: 76 stopped. " _Are you saying they should've stayed dead?_ "

"Yes, because now these people are in more danger than before."

" _None of McCree's agents have had anything suspicious to report yet._ "

"What if more people die? Or our own agents?"

" _They'll be taken to the nearest Overwatch facilities and be given the same treatment which Mercy is in the process of replicating now._ "

"Without Petras' permission?"

" _Yes, and I'd like to keep it that way._ "

"Even though he doesn't trust you enough as it is?"

" _I'll handle him, but in the meantime I want you to look at this._ " On his holographic screen, Soldier: 76 pushed a button which showed an Atlas News report showing a picture that made Torbjörn flinch.

" _Min Gud_ (My God)," Torbjörn murmured. "It can't be…"

The picture showed a towering machine that was the size of a skyscraper with energy cannons for hands, a rocket launcher strapped to one shoulder, and Gatling guns on its sides. There were also two anti-aircraft cannons placed on top of both shoulders and a masked man stood on its head.

" _I felt the same way,_ " Soldier: 76 said as his brow furrowed. " _Apparently, some madman retrofitted a Titan Class Omnic and threatens to destroy the city of Boklovo in the country of Kurjikstan_."

"Was there any reason given?"

" _He wants the Mayor to resign._ "

"By what time?"

" _The note he left along with the picture didn't specify._ "

"Then we must act now before he does!"

" _Agreed, so I'm sending you to Boklovo tonight along with a team of students._ "

"You're making a Secret Mission out of it?"

" _That is correct._ "

Torbjörn hesitated. "I'm not bringing any kids along. This is something I must do alone."

" _They won't learn how things are in the real world if we don't put them in these kinds of situations. Besides, the local law enforcement and rescue workers will need as much help as possible if this threat becomes a reality._ "

Clenching his claw arm, Torbjörn frowned. "Just…tell me which kids you had in mind, and I'll take the ones I think are best suited for the Mission."

To be continued…


	132. Stage 132: Wrath of the Titan (Part 1)!

**The next two chapters are basically going to be my version of the Overwatch comic** ** _Destroyer_** **which focuses on Torbjörn. Hope you enjoy!**

Stage 132: Wrath of the Titan (Part 1)!

As the neon lights of Numbani glistened below a night sky, Torbjörn and four students boarded the Shuttle-Jet. While Tracer, Zenyatta, and D. Va got on fine Orisa's feet made the plane sag.

"Do you think we'll be okay?" D. Va asked nervously.

"It should hold up, assuming no one moves around too much," Torbjörn grumbled as he got into the co-pilot's seat while Ana sat at the wheel.

Once everyone buckled in, though Orisa had to be strapped down by metal chains, the Shuttle-Jet lifted off. It flew smoothly despite the extra weight and arrived in Boklovo one hour later. There, they were put up in a nice hotel while Orisa had to sleep in the car garage.

"Seems a bit unfair," Tracer said to Torbjörn before parting for their respective rooms.

"There was no room for her in here," Torbjörn claimed. "And besides, she would've taken up a great deal of space if we had gotten better lodgings."

Discouraged, Tracer was about to leave when Zenyatta put a hand on her. " _If it will ease your mind, I will sleep beside Orisa tonight to make sure she's okay._ "

"You don't need to go that far," Tracer insisted.

" _But I wish to, for the sake of my friend._ "

Torbjörn sighed. "All right, go ahead. But don't get in any trouble."

" _Don't worry, Torbjörn, I won't._ "

Then Zenyatta hovered away while Torbjörn muttered something under his breath as he walked in the opposite direction. Baffled, Tracer went into her room where D. Va was already dressed in her pajamas.

"I heard all of that," D. Va frowned. "It's not right for Orisa to be treated differently than Zenyatta, even though they're both Omnics."

"Yeah, but one's bigger than the other," Tracer reminded D. Va.

D. Va folded her arms. "I'm not sure why Efi couldn't come."

"Torbjörn feared the situation would get too dangerous for her, hence why Efi gave Orisa a wireless communicator so they could talk remotely.

"It's still stupid." D. Va yawned. "I'm going to bed."

"Same," Tracer replied, Blinking into her pajamas and taking the left bed while D. Va took the right one.

###

Early the next morning, the students and Torbjörn were escorted to the Mayor's mansion in a limo. Once they had arrived, a private office was made available to them with a continental breakfast set aside. While Tracer and the others sampled the breakfast, Torbjörn set up a presentation regarding the Mission.

"Listen up, kids," Torbjörn proclaimed, causing everyone to look at him. "I'm not going to repeat myself so pay attention!"

The room became silent, as the students watched in anticipation. Satisfied, Torbjörn pressed a remote which brought up the picture he was shown earlier.

"Our target is this Titan Class Omnic, which has been repaired and redesigned presumably by this guy." Torbjörn used the remote to zoom in on the masked man who was wearing a blue jumpsuit, white shoulder pads and knee pads, and a helmet with built-in black shades to cover his eyes. "We haven't confirmed his identity yet, but he sent this picture along with a threatening note to the Mayor."

Clicking the remote, Torbjörn replaced the picture with a note.

 _If the Mayor does not resign soon, I will destroy the city of Boklovo with this Deterrent of War._

 _-S_

D. Va raised her hand. "Any idea why he wants the Mayor to resign?"

"Not a clue," replied Torbjörn. "But we must protect this city at all cost! So here's the plan: we'll lure the robot towards the downtown area, while I'll follow underground. The four of you must keep it distracted long enough for me to sneak inside and disable the controls, while also helping law enforcement and rescuing civilians if need be."

"Are we going to have to do _all_ of that?" Tracer exclaimed.

"No, you'll be assigned different tasks," Torbjörn clarified. "For instance, you will help law enforcement since you've worked with policemen before."

"One problem with that, though," Tracer confessed sheepishly. "I don't know the Kurjikstan language at all."

Grumbling, Torbjörn pulled a small book from his tool-belt and tossed it in Tracer's direction. "Here's a Kurjik phrasebook, in case you don't know what to say."

Catching the book, Tracer immediately began reading it while Torbjörn assigned everyone else.

###

Several hours later, the Titan Omnic came stomping through with D. Va hopping away from it inside MEKA. She fired back a few times, but was met with more firepower and resorted to dodging mostly. Meanwhile, Tracer coordinated with local policemen until Kurjikstan's Armed Forces showed up accompanied by tanks and military jets. They pitted them against the Titan but their efforts proved fruitless. As a result, many buildings toppled over and lots of people got hurt. Fortunately, Orisa was able to lighten the damage using Protective Barriers and Zenyatta healed the injured with his Orbs of Harmony.

While this was going on, Torbjörn was making his way through the sewers below in a white hazmat suit. He heard a loud _rumble_ above him, and made way for the nearest ladder. At the top was a manhole cover which Torbjörn lifted easily with his claw arm. Once Torbjörn emerged, though, he beheld the Titan's giant foot which stood a few feet away from him.

Cautiously approaching it, Torbjörn thought, _So far so good. The IR Shielding is making me invisible to the Titan's Heat Sensors_.

Upon reaching the foot's bottom, Torbjörn quickly scaled up until he got to the left leg. There, he found a hatch and went into it. On the inside, he removed the hazmat suit just as three small drones flew in his direction.

"Back to the slag heaps with you!" Torbjörn shouted as he fired his Rivet gun at them.

Every single one was shot down just as the Titan's leg started to move again, causing Torbjörn to lurch forward.

To be continued…


	133. Stage 133: Wrath of the Titan (Part 2)!

Stage 133: Wrath of the Titan (Part 2)!

Once the Titan stopped moving, Torbjörn started to walk when something caught his eye. He picked up one of the drone pieces and examined it.

 _These drones have micro-thrusters built into them_ , Torbjörn realized. _I've seen this kind of craftsmanship before_.

" _Torby? Is that you?_ "

Surprised, Torbjörn looked around and noticed a security camera that moved slightly.

"Only my friends call me Torby, and you're not one of them," Torbjörn growled as he made his way to a nearby ladder.

" _Nonsense!_ " the voice on the security camera responded. " _We may not have been drinking buddies, but I thought we worked well together._ "

At the top of the ladder, Torbjörn found himself in a narrow hallway with a locked door at the other end.

"Yeah, as well as water and oil," Torbjörn remarked sarcastically as he started to build a Turret.

" _I'm not sure what you're talking about,_ " the voice denied. " _You always bulldozed through obstacles—_

"And you cheated to get around them," Torbjörn interrupted. "A true Engineer respects the problem, and doesn't bypass it."

" _Hence why we made such a great team. We balanced each other out._ "

Once the Turret was finished, Torbjörn went over to the door's handprint lock.

" _These defenses are automated, old friend,_ " the voice warned. " _You'll get killed if you step through that door._ "

"Thanks for the friendly reminder, though I didn't need it," Torbjörn then used his claw hand to cut the lock's wires. "Now tell me, Sven, why are you doing this?"

The voice paused. " _To preserve our species._ "

As the door opened, Torbjörn got out of the way as gunfire came from a mini gun-shaped Turret in the other room while his fired back.

"How is destroying an entire city supposed to achieve that?" Torbjörn asked. "Seems to me like you're doing the opposite."

" _Think outside the box for a moment, Torby,_ " Sven's voice grumbled. " _What are advancements in military technology if not deterrents? We build a missile, they make a bigger one, and so on. Do you know why world powers do it? To prevent the very thing the missiles were built for: destruction on a massive scale._ "

While Sven talked, Torbjörn's Turret destroyed the other one completely allowing Torbjörn to go into the other room and ascend another ladder nearby.

" _What country wouldn't think twice before attacking another that has the strength to crush it?_ " Sven continued. " _Who doesn't hesitate prior to opening the doors to Armageddon? You know as well as I do that Kurjikstan is a corrupt dictatorship that could become dangerously unpredictable if left unchecked._ "

"That doesn't give you the right to destroy it, though," Torbjörn said as he came to the end of another hallway and smashed the handprint lock with his claw hand.

Automatically, the door opened revealing a control-room inside. The masked man sat in a metal cockpit staring at holographic screens showing the Titan's vision and stats.

"Maybe," the masked man shrugged in response to Torbjörn. "But their methods are ruthless and immoral. Someone has to stop them before it's too late, and I just did."

"You've only destroyed one city, Sven, not the entire country," Torbjörn reminded.

"Consider this a demonstration." The masked man who was Sven got out of the cockpit and turned to face Torbjörn. "In the hands of a more _responsible_ government, this machine could save lives."

"By being a deterrent?" Torbjörn made a sharp laugh. "You're crazier than I thought, Sven."

"Am I?" Sven pulled out an energy gun and stepped forward. "You know how many countries would _pay_ to have something like this, given the recent threat of Null Sector who claim to be heralds of a Second Omnic Crisis?"

"A lot, I imagine." Torbjörn rushed forward and grabbed Sven's gun with his claw hand, causing it to misfire. "But for all your talk about saving people and preventing war, you're just a sleazy profiteer by the end of the day!"

With his Rivet Gun, Torbjörn shot Sven in the foot. Then Torbjörn removed Sven's helmet and punched him so hard that he knelt down.

"At least the Omnics made sense," Torbjörn muttered, retracting his fist. "They operated on logic alone, with no emotions attached. You, on the other hand, are human. Doesn't excuse your actions one bit."

"Such a simpleton as always," Sven groaned painfully. "You've compromised the balance of global power, and left it vulnerable to the likes of Kurjikstan _and_ Null Sector!"

Ignoring him, Torbjörn made his way over to the cockpit. "What I've done, 'old friend,' is topple a destroyer of worlds."

After Torbjörn fiddled with the controls, the Titan Omnic shut down completely.

###

Later, Sven was taken into custody by the Kurjikstan Armed Forces who also took away the Titan to be dismantled. Torbjörn then congratulated the students for doing their tasks well including Zenyatta and Orisa.

"I guess not all tin cans are bad," Torbjörn muttered as he walked toward the Shuttle-Jet where Ana was standing.

" _Did he insult us?_ " Orisa asked Tracer.

"No, I think that was meant to be a compliment," Tracer answered in a bewildered tone. "Though I'm not sure."

"Well, regardless, playing tag with the Titan gave me a great idea," D. Va responded excitedly.

" _What is it?_ " Zenyatta wondered.

D. Va smirked. "You know how I've been debating about whether to give up gaming or not because I have to fight the giant Omnic back home? Turns out I don't have to do that at all!"

"How?" Tracer demanded.

"If I do live-stream videos of my fights with the Omnic inside MEKA, I could retain my popularity as a gamer while also doing a service to my country," D. Va explained. "Isn't that brilliant?"

Tracer gave D. Va a dubious look. "Um, won't that be distracting for you?"

"Not really," D. Va shook her head. "It'll be no different from my live-stream _StarCraft_ vids."

"But you'll be in a real life-or-death situation…"

"All the more reason people will like it."

"Without any extra lives to obtain after dying."

"Ugh! Don't worry so much! I know what I'm doing."

Then D. Va stormed off to the Shuttle-Jet while Tracer reluctantly followed. Zenyatta and Orisa did the same, and then with Ana they all took off back to Numbani.

To be continued…


	134. Stage 134: Graduation!

**This will be the last chapter of the series, followed by an epilogue! Thank you guys so much for supporting my fanfic and be sure to check out my other works as well! Also the last part of this chapter will be my version of the** ** _Uprising_** **Overwatch comic. Enjoy!**

Stage 134: Graduation!

On the day of graduation, Tracer stood nervously in the awnings of the auditorium wearing her white and yellow gown with a matching cap.

"I wish these things weren't so flimsy," D. Va murmured as she tried to adjust her cap over the headphones she was wearing.

" _It all comes down to balance,_ " Zenyatta claimed. " _And removing the headphones might help._ "

"Whatever," D. Va sighed. "Where's Genji?"

" _Right here,_ " Genji said, appearing out of the shadows.

Startled, D. Va jumped back. "Jeez! You scared me."

" _My apologies,_ " Genji bowed, wearing the metallic mask.

"Since when did you have red eyes?" D. Va asked.

Before Genji could answer, the lights dimmed.

" _Thank you all so much for attending this momentous occasion,_ " Soldier: 76 began as a spotlight shined down upon him. " _The past four years have been…interesting to say the least. But through it all, these students have persevered and shown they've got what it takes to become the kind of agents we need in our great organization known as Overwatch. Now we have received a lot of bad press lately, either for being incompetent or getting too involved in complicated world affairs. Regardless of what these people say, we're here to protect you and your children so they may have brighter futures in a better world to come!_ "

A lot of cheers followed as Soldier: 76 stepped aside. The Seniors' accomplishments video then played along with the teacher introductions. Afterwards, Soldier: 76 started to read off the Offense Class Graduates' names.

" _Genji!_ " Soldier: 76 called.

Stoically, Genji walked onstage causing the room to go deathly silent. Genji ignored this as he received his diploma and shook Soldier: 76's hand when a series of claps echoed from the back.

" _I think that's your brother,_ " Soldier: 76 guessed.

" _It sure is,_ " Genji confirmed as he glanced at the crowd briefly.

After shaking the other teachers' hands nearby, Genji exited the stage as another student took his place. When Tracer's name was called, she Blinked forward and appeared right in front of Soldier: 76 causing the audience to gasp in response.

" _Congratulations,_ " Soldier: 76 said after a pause. " _Your father would be proud._ "

Smiling, Tracer took her diploma and after shaking hands she whispered to Soldier: 76, " _Thank you, Dad._ "

This made Soldier: 76's brows arch as he watched Tracer pass the other teachers and leave, shaking their hands in the process.

###

Later, Reinhardt took center stage in his Crusader Armor and recite the names of the Tank Class Graduates. The first one that came up was D. Va, who immediately got onto the stage and snatched the diploma from Reinhardt's hand before striking a pose as she took a picture of herself on her phone.

" _You were supposed to shake my hand first,_ " Reinhardt scolded.

"Oops, my bad!" D. Va apologized, causing some people in the crowd to laugh.

In response, Reinhardt cleared his throat. " _I was wondering if you'd sign something for me. It's…for a friend._ "

"Of course!" D. Va took her graduation cap off and wrote her name inside it with a pen. "Here you go!"

Then D. Va shook Reinhardt's hand and did the same to the other teachers before leaving. Baffled, Reinhardt put the cap away and continued. Once he was done, Mercy took his place and read the Support Class Graduates out loud. The last name to be called was Zenyatta's. Hearing that, he hovered onstage and landed on his feet. This surprised everyone, including Genji.

"You're the first Omnic to become a member of Overwatch," Mercy proclaimed as she gave Zenyatta his diploma and shook his hand. "In celebration of this historical moment, I believe a speech is in order."

Surprised, Zenyatta turned to face the audience as Mercy put a microphone in his free hand.

" _It is…a great honor to be a part of this group that has done so much good in the world despite what others may think,_ " Zenyatta said nervously. " _I know my mentor, the late Tekhartha Mondatta, would be happy to see such acceptance here. He believed in a future where humans and Omnics stand side-by-side as equals, right up to the very end. Though many believe that dream is dead in the wake of recent events, I do not think so. This means we simply have to work harder to make it a reality, and that is what I intend to do. Thank you._ "

The crowd cheered loudly as Zenyatta shook the other teacher's hands and joined the others backstage.

"That speech was fantastic!" Tracer complimented, wiping her eyes. "I was moved to tears."

" _I just said what came to mind,_ " Zenyatta replied calmly.

"Still, it was great for improv," D. Va remarked.

" _But it wasn't planned,_ " Genji realized. " _I wish Mercy had said something ahead of time._ "

"Oh, who cares," D. Va said dismissively. "Let's go to Kọfị Aromo right now and celebrate with some donuts!"

"I'm game," Tracer agreed and took out her cellphone. "Let me just call Em."

" _We may not be able to partake in the donuts, but so long as they have good beverages I wouldn't mind going,_ " Zenyatta responded as he turned to Genji.

" _Um, sure,_ " Genji shrugged. " _I'll find Hanzo and meet you guys_ there."

###

" _The situation's worse than I thought,_ " McCree said through Soldier: 76's holographic screen, wearing a black leathery version of his regular outfit. Behind him lay a decimated version of King's Row. " _Null Sector has got Mayor Nandah and a hundred prisoners locked up in the power plant. It's walled off, so you'll need to blow open the doors to get in. Then, you've gotta deal with the air defenses—_

A bulky Omnic suddenly appeared behind McCree and started shooting at him.

" _I'll call you back,_ " McCree responded as he fired back with his Peacekeeper Revolver. " _Things are getting a little dicey here._ "

As the screen went blank, Soldier: 76 sighed heavily.

"What is McCree doing in London, Jackson?"

Caught off-guard, Soldier: 76 looked around and saw Ana standing opposite of him with her arms folded.

" _Ana,_ " Soldier: 76 breathed. " _I didn't see you come in._ "

In turn, Ana frowned. "Blackwatch is supposed to be suspended, after McCree's attempt at stopping those robbers in Hanamura got a lot of people injured and led the Japanese government to complain about it."

" _I'm only having him assess the situation before trying to negotiate a rescue mission with the Prime Minister of Britain._ "

A call suddenly came in, and the caller ID was Petras.

"Better not keep him waiting," Ana said as she turned around to leave.

Once Ana was gone, Soldier: 76 clicked the phone icon on his computer.

" _Hello, Director Petras,_ " Soldier: 76 stated politely. " _Any luck on our 'deal'?_ "

Partially visible, Petras shook his head. " _The Prime Minister's not budging, so we're still not allowed to operate in Britain or London for that matter._ "

Soldier: 76 groaned. " _He's a fool! More people are going to die the longer we wait._ "

" _I'm well aware of that, but Overwatch has taken a lot of heat from the press lately. If we do anything reckless—_

"I could put together a strike-team right now and have the hostages rescued in a matter of hours if you just give me the go-ahead."

" _No!_ " Petras snapped. " _You will stay put under further instructions are given. That's an order!_ "

The screen dimmed once more, bathing the room in darkness. Soldier: 76 took off his mask, ran fingers through his thin hair, and slammed his fist on the table. After a pause, he called Ana on the CommLink.

"Get the Shuttle-Jet ready," Soldier: 76 ordered. "We're going to King's Row whether Petras wants us to or not."

" _Sounds like a plan,_ " Ana responded. " _Who are you sending?_ "

"Reinhardt, Torbjörn, Mercy, and Tracer."

" _Tracer? She's only been active for a few months. Do you think she's ready for something as big as this?_ "

"Yes, I do. She's at Watchpoint: Gibraltar with Winston, right?"

" _I think so._ "

"Then pick her up on the way. Head for Coquelles, tell the team to take the Channel Tunnel, and then the Tube into London."

" _Yes, sir! Glad to see some things don't change._ "

"After talking with Petras, I had a little realization."

" _What was it?_ "

"I'll tell you after the mission is over."

" _Will do!_ "

To be concluded…


	135. Epilogue: Hope!

**This is basically my version of the Overwatch Short** ** _Recall_** **. Hope you guys enjoy it and thank you so much for supporting my fanfic in its entirety!**

Epilogue: Hope!

Inside Watchpoint: Gibraltar's facility, Winston was lounging in a giant tire that served as his seat with a bunch of bananas in one hand and a jar of peanut butter in the other staring at three computer screens.

"How long has it been, Athena?" Winston asked out loud.

" _Since you exercised? About forty-two days,_ " Athena's voice responded sarcastically.

"No, not that," Winston corrected. "I'm talking about the Petras Act."

" _It has been six years since today that the Petras Act was enforced,_ " Athena answered as Winston unscrewed the peanut butter jar with his feet and dipped the peeled bananas into it. " _This condemned all Overwatch activity as illegal due to the controversy with Blackwatch, which came up during the investigation of a dead agent in Egypt. And before that, McCree's attempt to stop a robbery at the Rikimaru ramen shop in Hanamura left many people injured causing the Japanese government to complain leading to Blackwatch's official suspension. However, Soldier: 76 aka Jack Morrison did not honor this as he sent agents to London prior to Overwatch's unauthorized but successful halt of the Null Sector Uprising at King's Row._ "

Winston scuffed. "A lot of good that did."

" _What do you mean?_ "

"We stopped Null Sector from initiating a Second Omnic Crisis, and how does the world repay us? By claiming we were working with criminals to gain profit, interfering in global affairs that should've been left alone, and being ineffective at dealing with threats like Talon!"

" _Now we've talked about this before, Winston,_ " Athena reminded. " _Most of these accusations are exaggerations made by the media to make us look bad, even though Overwatch did a lot of good overall. It also didn't help that Petras and Jack weren't on good terms with each other, which only made Overwatch's deactivation inevitable._ "

"That may be true, but it didn't give Petras the right to shut down the very organization he was put in charge to direct."

" _Even so, his status as director gave him the authority to enforce this law and there's nothing we can do about it._ "

"There is one thing." Winston adjusted his glasses. "Initiate the Overwatch Recall program."

Onscreen, Athena's symbol was replaced by the Overwatch one with the letters 'Y' and 'N' on either side.

Before Winston could press 'Y,' Athena warned, " _I would strongly reconsider your decision._ "

"And why is that?"

" _Because recalling Overwatch agents to active duty could risk them being arrested and put in jail according to the Petras Act._ "

"I know this, Athena, but something has to be done," Winston argued. "Former Overwatch agents have been turning up dead lately, which is probably the work of Talon, the world's in a much worse state than before, and the UN isn't doing anything about it!"

For a moment, Winston's black fur turned red. He took several deep breaths, and was back to normal once more.

" _Perhaps we should revisit the subject once you're in a calmer state of mind,_ " Athena suggested. " _In the meantime, here's the latest news bulletins and updates on former Overwatch agents who are still alive._ "

As Winston shifted through several articles, there were some that caught his eye: a mysterious vigilante saving a little girl in Dorado from an explosion caused by the Los Muertos Gang, two Junkers blowing up a building owned by a corrupt businessman in Sydney, Australia, Brazil's Lúcioball team doing well with its star player Seleção scoring many goals for them, a train heist with McCree being accused as the culprit, a series of hackings on Vishkar's Oasis branch and assassinations following the traveling performance of a _Swan Lake_ ballet, and Helix Security successfully preventing the long-dormant God Program Anubis from being reactivated but at the cost of many lives including Captain Khalil.

"It seems Pharah got promoted," Winston observed while looking at a picture of Pharah saluting in her armored suit while receiving a small winged medal. "Her mother must be proud, wherever she is."

Then Winston decided to check Mei's live journals which detailed the places she explored with Bastion sometimes tagging along, D. Va's live-stream videos of her fighting the colossal Omnic which had gained several million views since she defeated it after graduating from Overwatch High and then again two years ago, and Tracer who had just posted a picture of her and Emily standing in front of the new statue of Mondatta that was built at King's Row after the Uprising was over.

"Any word on Zenyatta, Hanzo, Genji, Zarya, Reinhardt, Mercy, or Torbjörn?"

" _Zenyatta is traveling on his spiritual journey as far as I know with Hanzo and Genji accompanying him, Zarya is still working at Volskaya Industries, Mercy's been doing some medical relief efforts in Egypt, but there is nothing from Reinhardt or Torbjörn._ "

"Hm," Winston shrugged, looking at pictures on a nearby wall.

One showed him when he was younger next to his former caretaker Doctor Winston. As Winston took off his glasses and started to reminisce, the intruder alarm suddenly went off. Surprised, Winston told Athena to turn the lights down before leaving the computer room. Below, several men in black uniforms with guns appeared.

"Talon," Winston frowned and finished the banana he had been eating.

Throwing the peel down, the armed men were distracted long enough for Winston to ambush them. Using brute strength, he was able to take them down easily. But then Winston noticed a black shadow appear overhead and float toward the computer room. Once there, it formed into Reaper who looked at Winston and laughed.

"You!" Winston cried, and attempted to leap forward when several wires suddenly wrapped around him.

Looking around, Winston saw the armed men had gotten up and had fired the wires from their guns. When they pulled the guns' triggers, several volts of electricity coursed through Winston's body causing him to cry out loud and lose footing. Meanwhile, Reaper walked over to the computer's CPU and stuck a tube-shaped device into it.

" _Security system breach detected!_ " Athena announced as the computer screens flickered. " _Winston! Reaper is attempting to download the Overwatch agent databank!_ "

Hearing that, Winston activated his Primal Rage and used the wires to toss the armed men around till they hit the walls. This got Reaper's attention and he appeared in front of Winston through a misty haze and fired his Hellfire Shotguns. Winston's armor blocked most of them, but as more bullets fired he felt the rage dissipating.

" ** _Seems being off-duty has made you weaker,_** " Reaper remarked as Winston collapsed from exhaustion. " ** _Never expected this job to be so easy._** "

Firing the Shotguns above Winston, Reaper caused a metal plate to fall onto Winston's back causing him to be crushed by it. Fortunately, Winston survived but now he could barely move.

As he pulled out new guns, Reaper said, " ** _Tell you what? Once I have all the Overwatch agent locations, I'll send your regards to them, Monkey._** "

Gritting his teeth, Winston responded. "I'm not a Monkey."

Grabbing a nearby Shield Generator, Winston threw it toward Reaper.

"I'm a scientist!" Winston insisted.

The Shield Generator turned on for a second before turning off.

Reaper laughed. " ** _Is that the best you've got?_** "

A blinding flash followed as the Shield Generator suddenly exploded causing Reaper to fly backward while Winston was pushed back as well. While Reaper quickly got up, Winston managed to free himself from the metal plate and grab his Tesla Cannon which he fired at Reaper. As the cannon's energy pulsed, Reaper's body dissipated till there was nothing left but his shotguns.

" _92% hacking…completed,_ " Athena said slowly.

"Don't worry, Athena," Winston responded, swinging up to the computer room. "I'll save you!"

As the screen showed 98% hacking completed, Winston removed the device Reaper put into the CPU and typed several things on the computer when the whole thing suddenly shut down.

"Athena?" Winston watched the screens with anticipation.

Athena's symbol then appeared. " _Virus quarantined, running system checkup and reboot._ "

While Winston sighed with relief, the computer screens turned back on showing the Overwatch Recall sign. Looking at it once more, Winston turned to his glasses and picked them up.

"Don't think of the world as it appears to be, but what it could be," Winston muttered.

" _Pardon?_ " Athena asked.

"It's something that my caretaker once said, when he showed me the world from space for the first time," Winston replied. "I'll never forget that."

" _But what about the Overwatch Recall issue? Once you activate it, there's no turning back._ "

Winston grinned. "I'm sure my colleagues will thank me for this."

Pressing the 'Y' button, a small globe appeared showing every Overwatch agent and their locations. Scrolling through the different files, Winston came across Tracer's and pressed the call icon.

" _Winston?_ " Tracer answered. " _Is that you, luv? It's been so long._ "

"Yes, it has," Winston said proudly. "Ready for some action?"

" _You bet I am!_ " Tracer replied excitedly.

The End


End file.
